Summers
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: Scott's fight between love and duty comes to a head when Jean is targeted and attracts the deadly Phoenix Force. Refusing to watch her suffer, he calls the entity to himself. Determined to temper the dangerous power, he promises to usher in a new age for mutant kind. The X-Men fight valiantly to keep the heart of Charles' dream alive. "Humans, it's going to be a long summer."
1. A Concert

Rogue can't believe Kitty and Jean talked her into a _concert._ Nearly five years to the anniversary of her meltdown. Of realizing Mystique had been her adopted mother. Her best friend. Maybe, even a love interest. The crushing realization that the psyches and memories would remain in her mind, forever. Back then, she couldn't imagine getting through any of it. Surviving as herself, not a ghost of who she was. Many pieces of other people.

Now, she goes to concerts with Kitty and Jean, sometimes. This Rogue doesn't wear gloves, she wears an inhibitor collar, instead. One designed with the utmost care by Hank. She still covers her body modestly, one Jean always takes care to remark is "quite nice." She parts her hair lazily to the left, and her makeup is still dark.

Kitty is still as slender as ever, but her hair is not in a signature pony. It's shorter than Rogue's, now. Kept in a stylish and easy to maintain bob. It's aerodynamic, she says. She and Lance gave things a try after Apocalypse, but the boy was still finding himself. Kitty had found who she was, an X-Man until the day she died. It was an amicable breakup, and busy lives kept them from wallowing. A certain, strong armed Russian kept _her_ from wallowing.

Five years ago, they would've been happy if the world didn't end. Now, they were going to a mutant headlined concert. It was nights like these, the young people wanted to believe in their mentor's dream. A dream where they lived happily amongst humans. They could all dream for a few hours. Rogue doesn't jump when her sibling teleported into the SUV, finally Kitty's.

He fiddled with his shirt in excitement, in a lot of ways still the easy going kid he was all that time ago. He checked his blue hair in the mirror, having ditched his holograph watch all together. "Vhat song are you hoping they play!" Kurt cried, scrolling rapidly through his phone. Rogue rolled her eyes, her black X-Suit and no jacket her idea of a concert outfit. Remy says her X-Suit is his favorite garment of her's.

"Y'all don't even _like_ The Deftones. They were in that Twilight soundtrack, and now all the_ normies_ are flockin' to the concert." She huffed, her knowledge on grunge music far more expansive than her two friends'. She was going to take advantage of the affordable tickets, though. Kitty scoffed from the driver's seat, adjusting her rearview mirror.

"Uh, and to see Dazzler, hello? She's like, one of the_ first_ mutant pop stars and, I totally love her. I'm gonna be her for Halloween." Rogue sighed loudly as Kurt laughed.

"Ja, I hear she's quite the looker. I _am_ on the market..."

"Atta boy, Kurt!" Kitty exclaimed, turning the van a little too sharply.

"Watch the road, Kit." Rogue hissed, smoothing her uniform out and tugging uncomfortably on the collar of her suit. "How come Scott and Jean didn' wanna ride with?" She questioned as she looked out the window. She remembered when they would chauffeur them all around, a whole lifetime ago. She wished she cherished those times more. It was always hard with Mystique and Apocalypse breathing down her neck.

Kitty shrugged, her expression becoming a little troubled. Jean hadn't really been herself, lately. But, nobody would talk about it. "I dunno, she said she had a little headache. She's resting before all the fun, tonight. You know how she is..." Rogue and Kurt nodded, they were used to it. And, used to acting like it wasn't alarming. Charles seemed to be in denial, they all heard the arguments Scott and Logan had with him when they thought everyone was sleep.

The growth of her powers couldn't be stopped. Picking up thoughts here and there became knowing everything, all at once. Didn't leave Jean much time to be just Jean.

Nobody seemed to know what to do, but what could be done? Kurt and Rogue shivered at the same time as Kitty pulled up to the venue. "Anyvays," Kurt tried in a light voice. "I hope ve have killer seats! I alvays get duds..." Rogue snorted at that. She was over her power malfunction, her mother's betrayal, her own powers. But, she still didn't like crowds.

"Ah know a few guys in the band, so Ah'll probably be watching from the stage..." Kitty turned all the way around, prompting Kurt to scream.

"HEY, the road!"

"You _know_ guys in the band! You scoundrel, how?!" Rogue only crossed her arms.

"Simple. When _you_ were goin' to the mall, _Ah_ was breakin' into grunge shows." Kitty began to pout when her old roommate smiled, smugly. With her mutation, there wasn't a lot the girl had experienced that Kitty Pryde hadn't.

"You never invited _me_ to those! I invited you to all my parties!" Kurt huffed.

"Pink vasn't allowed, now come on!" He opened his door and gestured behind him. People were flocking to the doors. Chuckling, Rogue and Kitty followed

* * *

Jean and Scott were still on top of the mansion's roof, staring out into the garden they were both so familiar with. With her vastly grown and changed powers, she can instant transmission them to the concert anytime she wants. A lot has changed in five years. More than the couple's hair or their uniforms. The couple is not just a couple, they're engaged. And, their room doesn't just shake when she has nightmares. The entire campus does.

She's leagues stronger than she was when she battled the professor for the world. That power, Scott Summers could not comprehend. Now, he doesn't even try. He is engaged to a living goddess, and every day he struggles to be worthy. She's all he's ever wanted, but every night he dreams of sands slipping between his fingers. She is not herself.

The more her powers grow, the more he worries it displaces _her_. Jean. The professor had told him of how sometimes, psychics became so powerful they developed a second personality. But this was something else, entirely. It was like she saw two worlds at once. He just wanted to be on the same page again. She used to read his mind without reading it.

"Jean," He tries, holding on to her from behind. "Something's troubling you, I can tell." His brown, leather jacket flapped in the wind. What did he know better than Jean Grey? She only shrank from his touch, so uncomfortable all the time, for whatever reason. Like there was a galaxy swirling inside of her, novels being written in her mind. It was all too complicated to make a person as rational as Scott understand. She smiled through fire engine hair, at her shoulders now.

He knew it was a grimace. "Scott, I..." Memories of a false life pervaded her. Balls and gowns, banquets. Love. Things that almost made sense. "I don't know. I'm sorry, it can't be easy when I'm so moody all the time." She slipped some hair behind her ear. His grip tightened around her, wearing a bright blue button up that looks pale pink to him.

"It's _always_ easy to be with you. I'm not annoyed," He pulled apart from her, his brow furrowed. "I'm _worried_. Whatever it is," He tilted her face up to look at him. "Let me share it. We share it all, remember?" He still remembers being so relieved to find her again in En Sabah Nur's pyramids. She is his heart. His whole heart, and when she's not well,_ he's_ not well. "I'll be here. No matter what." Behind his glasses, she knew his stare hardened.

"I know." Jean replies with a tired smile. "I never have to worry about that, Scott. I... I love you. No matter wha-" Scott took the opportunity to tilt down and kiss the red head, they never kissed enough. In the world they lived in, nothing was promised.

"You ready?" She nodded, focusing on the venue with all their friends. This would make her feel like herself, again. A wonderful night out with the love of her life and all of her friends. She smiled, making him gasp when she reaches for his glasses.

"Almost." He shut his eyes out of reflex. "I want to see, Scott. You know I can hold it." Slowly, he opened his eyes to reveal shining, blue eyes. "There, they are." She placed a hand on the side of his chiseled face. "_Now_, I'm ready."

* * *

_"And, long may she reign." Jean stood, but she wasn't Jean. Or, was she? She was lost in a timeless era, in a flowing ballgown surrounded by men in powdered wigs. Colonial men, men from history. But, it was her time. "My Black Queen." He had flowing, brown hair in a ribbon and ruffles in his petticoat. His dress signified dignity and class. Money. Wealth. She stood in a massive garden as their wedding party watched._

_'A wedding...' Jean thought, a veil hiding her face. Yes, she was getting married. Married, to Jason. Jason Wyngarde. How did she forget? She was Lady Jean Grey being married off to another noble dynasty. It was a beautiful ceremony, even if the priests eyes glow amethyst. Sinister, somehow. _

_"Wilt thou, Jason, have this woman to be thy wedded wife? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor her? Keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and keep only her unto thee? So long as ye both may live?" He leered at her, his raven hair in a braid._

_The brunette with the thick mustache smiled at Jean. Like she was everything she ever wanted. 'Who else looks at me, this way...' She couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something. "Yes, I do." Jason answered, holding her stare. _

_"And you, Lady Jean..." Suddenly, her cheeks flushed red. _

_"Oh... Oh, yes." She answered with a sigh, their hands joining. "I do." _

_"Then, I pronounce ye man and wife! And you, the Black Queen!" Jean looked around as thunderous applause erupted._

_The ruined, desecrated churchyard exploded with cheers. But, Jean hears none of it. It is her wedding, her wedding with Jason. Scott no longer exists in this reality. In this world, his grandfather's grandfather is not born. A white hot burning starts deep inside Jean. It becomes too much for her to contain. She feels herself overcome with an emotional tidal wave that's__ the size of the cosmos. Flowing through her. _

_But, as abruptly as the transportation to another time started, it ends. And, Jean is in the arms of the strange man. Jason._

_An icy, platinum blonde watches. And, smiles._

* * *

Kitty waved a hand through short hair, peering at herself in mirrors they passed by. She smiled and waved when boys passing by stop to look at them as she fixed her lip gloss. "Hope I don't look _too_ punk tonight," She fussed, tugging on her outfit. Rogue only scoffed, her eyes scanning the dark, cramped room.

"Kitty, a black cropped tee and cheetah print bell-bottoms_ ain't_ punk. Don't worry." Kurt only rolled his eyes, looking for merch tables and a place to get a soda.

_"Here_, ve go..."

"It is, _too!_ I looked it up before I came!" Kitty complained, her cheeks tinged red. Rogue was chuckling and Kurt tried to wedge himself between them. "One of the models was wearing this outfit i-"

"Guys!"

"That's not punk, Kitty. Ya look like a Bratz doll." People were starting to gather as the two girls started arguing.

"Oh _yeah?_ Well, you look like a _Monster High_ doll!" The brunette screeched back, pointing a finger. Rogue only tucked her hair behind her ear. People in the gathering crowd began to 'ooh' and 'aah.' She flexed a pale arm, much stronger than it looked. Guys were pointing at cheering as each girl tried to get over Kurt to the other

"Oh, we ain't gonna_ kiss_. Ah'm about to wipe the_ floor_ with her." The white banged girl hissed, locking eyes with her old roommate.

"Try it." She responded, but Kurt's pointing dead ahead.

"Guys. Look... They don't mean..." Both girls huffed before following Kurt's finger. Kitty dropped her water bottle, spilling it all over the floor. Even Scott was frozen in shock as Jean locked lipped with some older, strange man. "I... Don't understand? Vhat's happening?" Kitty covered her mouth. Had Jean been losing it all faster than they thought?

Rogue moves first, reaching for a pair of gloves and turning her inhibitor necklace off. "Somethin' stinks, you guys. This ain't right. They're both in my head, Jean wouldn't do this. Not... Willingly." She reported, her voice shaking. Before her teammates could do anything, she reached for her communicator. "Wolverine?"

"Stripe?" Is the extremely fast response.

"Ah think somethin'-"

"Be there in five." Ever since her big meltdown, Logan waited by his communicator to aid the team when they tried to do normal things. Rogue was a big girl with some very big powers, she didn't call him in for anything less than what required him. Rogue held her leader's stare for a moment, but it's clear even he doesn't know what to do. He's confused, scared, and livid all at once, she reads his expressions. She looked at her brother, then Kitty before the crowd starts pushing them up.

"Opener is about to start!" Someone cried. Moving quickly, Kurt turned Rogue's inhibitor necklace on before they got crowded. She shot him a look that rivaled Logan's glare. She still wasn't a fan of her personal space being invaded.

"Let's go, move it!"

_"Oh no_, I remember last time." He looked at his friends, worriedly. "Let_ them_ handle it, for now. I don't think they vant us to intrude..." Rogue turned around, but Kitty hooked a slender arm in her's. The lights dimmed around them and people began cheering, moving around a dazed Scott and Jean. He didn't look mad so much as determined to figure out what was going on. Jean looked confused.

_'Was that a vision? Were... Were our ancestors once in love?'_ Jean wondered. Charles had been plagued with visions, future sights from Apocalypse. Stranger things had happened to them since the Egyptian's defeat._ 'What's happening to me?'_

"Scott, I..." How did she explain away a kiss? With an audience. Her distance, yes. Maybe even lingering fears of marriage. But, not this. Embarrassment bloomed like rage in her gut. How could she do that to Scott? To herself? _'C'mon, Jean. At least act like you aren't a basket-case_.' "I'm sorry, I just..." Tears welled in her eyes. He wasn't mad because it didn't even seem like a Jean thing to do.

_'It's like she was someone else... Are we under attack?'_ He looked around as the stage lit with obnoxious lights. Rogue's concert fiasco was always on his mind. _'Mutant who controls lightwaves. Dazzler. Right.'_ He groaned inwardly. With his eyesight, this opener was a nightmare. Dazzler had a wavy blonde mane, a blue mask on her face and all the silver lamé on that side of town. Even Scott spares a thought to how beautiful she was. But, he just wasn't feeling the concert.

Jean wasn't either, she moved around him and cut through the crowd to the patio. She needed fresh air, something. Frowning, Scott followed. Kitty and Kurt started cheering, but Rogue noticed it all. Hooking an arm in both of their's, she tugged. "C'mon... Somethin's not right." Kurt pressed his mouth shut, but Kitty bellowed.

"We're _mutants_, Rogue. X-Men. I walk through walls, you fly, and Jean reads minds. Nothing is _ever_ right..." She phased her arm free and stomped behind her old roommate, growling the whole way. She remembers when she used to have to force Rogue to do the right thing. "These tickets were like, my _whole_ paycheck, Rogue..." The slightly older girl is tuning her friend and siblings out, more concerned with the energy rolling off of Jean. It's making her skin crawl.

Her psyches are susceptible to it, and they didn't like it. Something big was happening, something none of them understood. And, she'd already learned what happened when they didn't understand things. Jean was cradling her head, barely containing her freak out. It felt like someone had been slowly loosening the shields that the professor placed to dam her powers, even today. And, her head had a finite amount of space ."Jean, are you alright?" Scott pressed as she hissed in pain. "Talk to me. Don't shut me out, please!"

Rogue slipped one of her gloves off. "Rogue?" Kitty questioned, raising an eyebrow. When the brunette noticed how many people seemed to be watching them, she gave up on salvaging the night. Ever since Rogue and Carol Danvers fought (a fight that left the former comatose, for good), she's forbidden to use her natural mutation. Hank had urged her not to unless she was left no other choices.

"That box blonde bimbo has been casin' us, she followed us_ outside._" She tried to act as if she weren't talking about her, they had no idea if she had powers. Kurt nodded reluctantly.

"That fräulein has, she's too hard not to notice. She's as bright as Dazzler." Kitty's brow furrowed, they were right. It seemed like this concert was ruined, alright. But, as she looked at Jean, she realized that was the least of her problems.


	2. A Solarflare

Kitty thought her heart might leap out of her chest. A jam packed concert was a worst case scenario for Jean to lose control of her powers. She could seriously hurt or injure normal people. She could've years ago, now the X-Men didn't want to think about what she's capable of. She was raw, psychic energy trapped in a bombshell body.

The red headed telepath was hissing like a snake, her tall stature drawing attention to her and her fiancé. "J-Jean, say _something!_" Rogue looked between her teammates and the strange, mature woman. Icy eyes were staring through them. She couldn't decide where to split._ 'Logan, he's comin' soon._' She turned her head for a second, and when she looked back, the blonde was gone. "Damn it." She drawled, hitting her collar before moving to go near Scott and Jean.

Mutant legislation is still a tense topic, even in the future. The scattered X-Men at the concert have to think very carefully about how they demonstrate their powers. The stakes have only been raised. Kitty and Kurt don't make it to their friends' sides before two broad, men shove them to the ground. Jean's started groaning, and Rogue stands, speechless.

"Y-Y-" She feels her blood run hot, but Kitty looks up from the ground.

"Don't. They're not worth it..." She tries, hoping her old roommate doesn't lift a car over their head. She looked at scratched, scuffed palms. "They're dogs... The fleas, on dogs!"

"K-Kitt-" A blonde they all recognized cut to the front, his natural athleticism giving way to a beer gut. Time hadn't been kind to Duncan, and his appearance reflected that. His face is covered in stubble as he shoved Rogue backwards, knowing from high school that she'll be inclined not to retaliate.

"Can you believe I went to school with these _muties_? And, they aren't dead, yet." Men draped in flannels snickered, clearly there to heckle Dazzler during her groundbreaking performance. Tears welled in Kitty's eyes as Rogue's hand hovered over her collar. She didn't need her powers to make them sorry, but she knew what her actions would do. Incense a group of bigots to feel justified, and she wouldn't do that.

_"Come on_, guys." Kurt pulled his sibling and Kitty to their feet, his eyes lingering anxiously on Jean. "Some people don't change past high school." Rogue screeched when a tanned man shoved the blue mutant so hard, he almost fell.

"Stop it!" Kitty shouted, phasing from another boy's grasp, much younger than all the men. But, just as hateful. Scott was baring his teeth like an animal, and he was particularly fed up with the discrimination he and his students had been facing.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll move away from them." He spoke very deliberately, clutching on to Jean's arm. "I'm _not_ in the mood, Matthews." His jacket flapped in the wind as he stared down his old rival. This brought a lot of bitter memories back.

"Since when did a loser like_ you _tell_ me_ what to do?" Duncan growled. Scott hadn't noticed that Jean was standing straight beside him. Her stare was piercing, and somehow, she managed to look menacing as she stood in a bright blue button up and white skirt. Classic Jean. But, fire tossed in her stare. Kitty and Kurt knew to be scared, but Rogue _knew_ that feeling. That fire, that rage. When she shoved Mystique from a cliff. When she let her psyches take over like rabid dogs.

Jean was a notch below that, she felt like she was in the middle of a bee hive. Her hair practically floating, the psychic raised a hand. Like a bow slipping loose, she felt her mind and powers expand. Duncan and his entire entourage lifted, writhing in the air. "Put me _down,_ you bitch!" Duncan seethed, watching as Jean's eyes filled with darkness. All of her team was yelling for her, especially Scott. But, all she heard was Duncan's fear. She loved every second of it.

_"I trust you'll think twice about messing with my friends."_ Shouting, they were sent careening into the wall. People fled the area quickly, abandoning the concert before they dealt with any mutant problems. Mutants had a habit of harming and destroying, whether they meant to or not. Bayville had learned this. Jean simmered quietly as Duncan tried to scramble to his feet._ "Who's a bitch, now. Duncan? Humans are evolution's bitch. You are the bottom rung, Matthews. And, I am heaven's gate. Do you see heaven, Duncan? Do you?"_

Lightning flashed despite no clouds being in the sky.

Trash cans and fences were rattling violently and people rushed from the area. Kitty grabs Kurt and Rogue quickly, phasing them all through a floating sign as she struggles not to blow away. Bobby and Jubilee ran over quickly, but stopped when they noticed Jean was in an episode. The New Recruits learned early on to let Scott deal with these moments. Jean's powers could be destructive when she didn't control them. And, a Jean in control wouldn't slam Duncan into a wall.

The blonde was shaking, a wet stain spreading over his blue jeans as she raised him, again. "S-S-S_-Sorry..."_

_"No. Sorry is what you're going to be."_ When the red head raised her hand like a claw, Scott grabbed her before she could repeat the mistake. People were taking out their phones, despite Kitty's screams. _"Sorry is not enough."_

"Jean. Listen to me. This is _not_ what you want to-" He tried to turn her head to face him, but he couldn't move it._ 'What-'_

_"I've never wanted to do something more."_ Rogue and Kurt looked at their shoes when the ground shook. Cursing, Rogue turned her collar off and wiggled her fingers in nervous anticipation. Touching Jean was not fun, these days. When she got mad her skin was flaming hot, and her powers and memories took up more room than anything else in her cramped mind. And, she didn't even speak about the things she saw. Or felt. Not even to Charles.

The professor was beginning to worry that he wasn't helping the girl, not nearly enough. But, when Jean's skin began to go ashen like it did that fateful day her senior year, Rogue knew what she had to do.

"B-But-"

A blinding flash took all of their attention to the sky, Dazzler's hand raised defiantly. Lucky for them, the flash helped Jean regain her senses. She moaned weakly, Scott peering down at her as Duncan ran for his life. "S-Scott, _what's..._" She looked around to the fearful crowd that'd gathered around them. The overturned benches and plants. She was so confused. "I... Don't understand."

"You guys are scarin' off my customers." She says in a cold voice, her bodyguards following her back inside the venue.

"It's okay." Scott told is fiancé breathlessly, bringing her into his arms. He shut his eyes when she whimpered, softly. She'd never felt so out of control, before. Not even when she had her first real manifestation._ 'What is happening to her?'_ Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue just looked at each other. "Everything's fine." He nearly jumped when Bobby and Jubilee appeared behind him, their faces disturbed.

"Are you_ sure t_hough?" The blonde muttered to an elbow from Jubilee. The X-Men's leader seemed to get more serious the older he got. Scott only stalked past him, not sparing the rest of the team any mind. Jean tugged in a daze behind him. Rogue only scoffed, she was used to this.

"Ain't _pullin'_ Scott off ya again cause of your mouth." She warned, even though she would. Scott's worry for his fiancé (however warranted), was affecting his decisions. And, it was making his temper notably short.

"What's with her though, seriously. Getting mad over Duncan Matthews..." He rubbed his arm awkwardly. "I thought she'd been ove-" Rogue pinched the boy, who never learned the value of a silence that lasts longer than fifteen seconds.

"She's tired, Bobby." Jubilee filled in, tugging him towards the merchandise with a frown. Rogue watched them, burning under people's stares.

"C'mon. Let's catch the end o-" Kitty tried, but Kurt shook his head. He sighed, his tail drooping.

"I think the concert is over..." Kurt mumbled, trying to shake the look in Jean's eyes from his eyes. The venue looked near empty, and they didn't hear music coming from inside. Scott and Jean stumbled down a hallway that lead to the restrooms. Jean massaged her temples, struggling to sort out the events of the night. _'I'm still Jean... I'm still Jean...'_

"Maybe, maybe we should get you back to the professor. He can take a-"

"Cerebro can't do anything about my powers, Scott. It's fine, _really._.." She buried her face in her hands.

"It's not fine, because I can see you're suffering. So, it'll never be fine. Not to me. Let me _help_ you, Jean. Please." How badly she wanted to see his blue eyes, they were the only thing that could settle her. "It's what I'm here for. It's what I'm best at." She tried to smile.

"Scott,"

_'Jean? Jean, are you there?'_ She winced at the telepathic interruption.

_'Professor?'_

_'Jean, it's awful. The space shuttle Exploration is experiencing reentry trouble. If they don't burn in the atmosphere they'll perish when they crash into the Hudson! We've got to do something!'_ The Danger Room exercises hadn't gone over this. They were not certified astronauts. Jean wasn't even sure there was a mutant capable of catching a stopping a ship among them. She locked eyes with the blonde shrouded in white. White mink. White, pleather bustier. White lipstick. White smile.

_'Who is she...'_

_'Jean, are you-'_

_'Yes, yes. I'll tell Scott and the others.'_

_'I've asked Magneto to come aid us from Genosha. But, I fear even he is not strong enough. And, he won't get there before...'_ Scott watched a determined look cross Jean's features.

_'Leave it to us.'_

"Jean-" She grabbed Scott's wrist and pulled, her feet lifting off the ground. "Wait, are you-"

"The professor contacted me. There, there are astronauts in _trouble,_ Scott." She caught his eyes and he saw the fear, even a madness creeping through them. A mission seemed like the last thing Jean needed to be a part of, especially after tonight. But, he didn't see how else they were supposed to save the inhabitants of the rocket from certain death without her. The telepath grit her teeth when she felt Scott's panic surge. "They're going to crash into the river-"

"Okay, we suit up-" He begins but Jean's telepathy keeps him from running off.

"No time. Logan's already on the way, c'mon." She pulled, but Scott stopped her and forced her to look at him.

"Are you sure you're up to this?_ Jean,_" She nodded solemnly. He was an X-Man first, but nothing was worth putting her in danger. Not a chance. He shook as she lifted her hand and tugged his sunglasses off, revealing blue eyes. He took a deep breath, in awe of Jean's limitless power. It always shocked him no matter how many times she did it. He couldn't imagine his eyes not always shooting optic blasts, it was who he was.

"It's what we _do_, Scott. Come on. We don't have a lot of time." He followed after her unsurely.

_'Kitty, Kurt. Rogue. There's a problem.'_

_'Yeah,'_ Kitty chimed back without missing a beat. She tried to find her other teammates through the crowd. '_I'll say.'_

_'There's somethin' fishy goin' on here.'_ Rogue began. _'Ah'm seein' a lot of strange people...'_

_'A space shuttle is going to crash into the river. If we don't figure something out, that whole crew is doomed.'_

_'Oh geeze. I think I see it, now!'_ Kurt reported, turning his eyes above them. People were pointing and gasping as the flare of light visible in the sky. Shrieks were heard as more people started to notice. Was it an asteroid? Comet? What? Jean massaged her temples as she tried to field the mounting panic and terror around her. The mental pleas were killing her.

"Magneto is traveling from Genosha, but he won't be here until it's too late." She looked seriously into her fiancé's eyes. "It's up to us." His forehead knit in wrinkles. This is what he'd been training for, all of them. To do what nobody else could. He nodded, his face as serious as it always was. They were the X-Men. "I'll tell the others to meet us over by the docks..." She paused when she noticed the woman shrouded in white, again. It was the third time.

_'Rogue. Kurt, Kitty. Scott and I are on the way over!'_

_'Great, what's the plan?'_ Rogue shot back as they pushed through the paralyzed crowd. '_Hello? A plan, guys? Please tell me there's a plan. Theres a rocket breaking the atmosphere...'_

_'We will... Keep working on it when we get there.'_ She could hear the southern girl groan.

_'Oh man, Ah don't want to watch astronauts die.'_

_'Don't think like that, we'll think of something.'_ She gasped when Rogue's white streaks came into view in the crowd. Bobby and Jubilee were beside her, all of them staring up helplessly at the sky. The sky was ablaze with pink and red and orange lights. Casting a glow akin to sunset, it was so bright. It seemed like more than just a ship was coming to the atmosphere. Soon, the entire gathered crowd was silent as nature raged above them.

A bike screeched against the asphalt and a stout man weaved through the crowd, honing in on the scents of his students. He stopped beside Kitty and Kurt, examining them as they watched the sky.

"Father in heaven..." Kurt covered his mouth as people pulled their phones out to record. This was larger than they'd anything they'd ever encountered, before. And, he had a bad feeling. Rogue's shoulders were squared, like she might take to the sky to intercept the rocket, but even she isn't that brash. Not with Logan there. Jean looked up, but she wasn't filled with a sense of fear or hopelessness like her teammates.

"I don't hear anyone problem solving," Logan snapped, his eyes lingering on the red head assessing the situation. She hasn't been herself and it's killing him to watch. It's making Scott drive everyone crazy. It's keeping Charles up at night. "We need a _plan._" Scott's frown deepened.

"Can the material of the ship withstand my optic blasts?" Scott barks out. Jean chewed her lip. "Can I slow it's descent with one?"

"No, I don't think so. It's taking damage now." Kitty responded. Kurt looked up from his hands.

"Maybe, maybe if I focus..." The looks on Kitty and Rogue's face were enough to silence him.

"No, there a thousand different ways that'd just kill you and the crew." Jean shot down. She stared at the flashing lights in the sky.

_'Storm is on her way to assist, but winds will not be enough...'_ She knew what he was saying without saying.

_'I'll make you proud, professor.'_ His response is instant, frantic as Jean begins to rise.

_'JEAN, NO!' _

_"Jean Elaine-"_ Scott seethes, tugging on her wrist.

"No way, Red." The look in Logan's eye is not one to argue with. But, when has anyone been able to tell Jean what to do? "Not if I have to hog tie you _myself._" She smiled at that.

"You wish you could, little man." They weren't going to let those people die a tragic death. She wouldn't.

"But, but..." Kitty begins. She knows a suicide mission when she sees one. "Jean, wait a minute." Scott's already clutching to her.

"Jean_, no._ Storm will get here. And w-" She only smiled and took his face in her hands.

"See you in a while, crocodile." When he begins screaming for her, he dropped in a heap on the ground. Logan stooped in disbelief, looking up from his black, tight X-Suit. She was more ornery than usual, these days. He could feel her energy rolling off like buzzing bees. She was more myth than woman. Jean shot to the air like a rocket while Kurt and Logan screamed after her.

_"JEAN,"_ Logan cursed at the sky as she disappeared. If Scott woke up and Jean was not fine, all hell was about to break loose. People were starting to catch on that it was a spaceship hurdling towards the Hudson River. Sobs and shrieking filled the area, annoying the man's sensitive hearing. Mumbling, Kurt disappeared in a plume of smoke while his sister leaned over Scott.

He was sent tumbling back against the ground. "She pushed me back, man!_ Vhoa_..." He'd never seen Jean in such control of so many powers. Kitty shook beside him as Rogue rose to her feet in her X-Suit. This wasn't the first time she'd cleaned up Scott and Jean's mess that month, but she hoped it'd be the last. She was running out of room in her mind for it.

"Rogue, wait a m-" Logan cursed when she shot to the sky after the red head. She couldn't be stopped from hurling herself off a cliff for either of them (Gambit had tried). Ms. Marvel's powers had taken her far, but not 'intercept a spacecraft' far. Maybe, the original incarnation. But, not Rogue after absorbing her. The way he saw it, both of them were flying into the sun. He felt like his head would explode when Kitty started screaming.

When Ororo saw the chaos already ensuing, she landed next to a raging Wolverine in her X-Suit. "What do I need to do?"

"Enroll students with some fuckin' sense, 'Ro. The spacecraft is tearing apart upon reentry, and _they're_ both flying right at that solar flare it's trapped in..." He could barely speak. He was reckless because he would survive. The others wouldn't.

"I can only assist with my winds, freezing weather if we need it. Rogue cannot survive flying anywhere near space." He paled as Kurt cried out, beside him. Scott moaned from the ground. "Jean... She, she may be strong enough now. To do this._ Believe_ in her. It's up to her, now." He didn't want to leave her life and a crew of space scientists to fate, but they had no choice.

Tears stung Rogue's eyes as the wind whipped them. Her chest was already stinging with freezing, thin air. Her head was pounding, desperate for one good breath. But, Jean was flying around like a missile, determined to keep the ship from shattering into ash. The red head turned back to her colorless teammate. Soon, Jean would be meeting the ship in space. She smiled_. 'Thank you, for coming. But, you can't go any farther.'_ She twisted her hand and Rogue went unconscious.

_'Ororo, Rogue can't fly any higher. Please, catch her.'_ Making a startled noise, she shot to the sky without explanation as Scott sat up.

"W-W..._ Jean, no._"

"Too late, now." Kurt groaned, hoping everything went okay in the sky. He had his face covered. "I.. I can't look!"

In the air, Jean could see the last layer of their atmosphere. And, she could feel the heat of the solar flare on her face. It was a warm breeze. She loved it. It was like a warm bath. A big welcome home. _'Why does it feel like this is where I belong..._' She looks at the spaceship, but she's not afraid. She's rearranging the molecules in space so she can exist. It's as easy as blinking. Breathing.

_'The ship's moving too fast.'_ Grunting, she knew she'd have to withstand a direct blast from the solar flare and guide the ship back down safely to earth. She held her hands flat and ground her teeth as she used all the power she had to stop the ship from burning any further. The endless, cosmic energy slammed into her like a brick wall. _'I... Can do this. I have to. I'm Jean Grey. I...' _

It felt like her head would split in two as she roared. The heat tangled itself around her like a web as she struggled wildly against it. _'It is your time, Phoenix.' _The insignia of a bird spread across the entire horizon as Jean screamed.

From the ground, the X-Men watched the flare raise in the sky._ "No..._" Kitty shook her head. "Please..." Ororo returned to the ground with Rogue in her arms. The Exploration's debris rained into the river as people stood in horror. Scott held his hands to his head before sinking to his knees. _'No, why would she... No!' _Yelling until his vocal chords blew out, he ripped his visor off and fired into the sky.

_"JEAN,"_


	3. A Transformation

Rogue twitched on the ground and leaned up. All of her teammates were staring at the sky. She followed their line of sight to see what remained of the ship floating into the river. Jean and the astronauts were nowhere in sight._ 'No... God damn it...'_ Scott was already sobbing and frothing on the ground, his sunglasses abandoned beside him. Ororo was still patiently waiting for a sign of Jean. If she didn't know any better, the stripe banged would've sworn she saw Logan lashing his claws against himself in a silent rage.

"No... This doesn't..." There probably wasn't anything they could've done, but Jean threw her life away trying to help. Rogue scrambled to her feet and both Kitty and Kurt waded to her side. Their eyes were locked on Scott who was pounding the ground with his eyes shut, screaming. His knuckles bloodied and raw. Newscasters had arrived with cameras, the bridge was becoming a mob scene. _"Scott.._." Rogue tried, but he wasn't listening.

"This can't be right..." Ororo whispers, praying that Jean magically appeared. "They have to be..."

_'Ororo? Ororo? Scott! I can't sense my link with Jean! She's either shutting me out, or...'_ He can't even finish his thought.

_'Charles...'_

_'No, Storm. Please...'_

Kurt was stooped awkwardly beside Scott as he laid gasping in the grass. If Jean wasn't okay, what would he do? He certainly couldn't lead a mutant school without her. "Here, take this." He offered his glasses but Scott smacked it away, growling. "C'mon, _please."_

_"Get away from me."_ He hissed, swiping at his teammate. Kurt just shrank away as he swung.

"Scott," Kitty screamed through her hands. "Scott, _just.._." Scott took them and grudgingly put them on when Rogue began to scream. Shrilly. A bright, orange light enveloped the sky. Slowly, Scott creaked to his feet and dared to pray that Jean lived. _'I'll give anything. Do anything.'_ Soon, everyone turned away from the light except Logan.

Six bodies appeared over the grass. Covered in big, thick white suits and globes over their head. "Mother of_ God._.." Ororo stumbled and Logan braced her arms when he thought she might fall. The astronauts are crying and screaming, wondering how they got back to_ solid ground._ They'd been all hoping their bodies were unidentifiable and didn't disturb their families.

"A woman..." A balding man sputtered, looking at the asphalt. "There was a woman o-" Scott nearly threw the man over his shoulders.

"WHERE THE HELL-" Rogue separated them quickly, sweat on her brow.

"Sorry, but that's his fiancé." She turned to the confused astronaut. "What happened up there. Wher-" What survived of the ship crashed into the river, raining water all over the crowd of spectators who'd gathered. Rogue skeptically put Scott down and looked at her drenched, X-Suit clinging to her skin. It was a petty complaint, but how could the night get worse? Instead of a concert, they might declare her teammate missing. Even Rogue can't bare to think that she's dead. "Please, we _need..."_

"I'm sorry. I don't know how we got there. _She.._." She released him and covered her face as Ororo ran to stare into the water.

"Hurry! LOOK," A glowing, disc of light shined beneath the surface. Kurt and Kitty could barely hold Scott back from climbing into the water as the water began to churn. Nobody noticed, but the woman in white is back. She is watching. Waiting.

_'Did the force make contact, White Queen?'_ A voice demands in her head.

_'Oh, yes.'_

_'And, you have the radioactive device...'_

_'Of course. What do you take me for. The world... It's about to be reborn in the Hellfire Club's image.'_

_'That's what I like to hear.'_

A chill ran down Logan's spine as the water became restless. Kurt and Kitty shied away as a wave rose, and out from it shot a white light. Ororo swore she heard the caw of a bird as something burst through the surface. Logan speaks first, his nose speaking before his eyes. "RED," Scott thought his heart would give out as they watched her illuminate the sky. Her whole X-Suit was green, and she shined in a golden light. Like a star.

_"Now and forever! I am, Phoenix!"_ She declared in the sky, dozens of cameras trained on her.

"What is this Phoenix? What does she want? Is she affiliated with the X-Men? Did she save the astronaut crew? More, as this develops!" She hovered, looking at her teammates with a knowing look. But, also one they've never seen before. She was Jean, but she was something else, too. The Phoenix. For a moment, nobody moves. Nobody breathes.

Even Rogue is in awe of the sight. That's when the woman in white moved. Kitty started running first, certain that she and her affiliates were up to no good.

_"Hey!"_ She cried, raising her fist. A blinding pain in her head sent her crashing to the ground, clutching her temple. "OW, god! _What the,"_ It felt like a vice was tightening on her head. Logan's claws shot out and his eyes went dark.

"You're about to need more than a new outfit if ya don't let her go." He warned. Telepath's that were not familiar with his scrambled, jarring mind had a hell of a time getting into it. The wrinkles on her forehead indicated that was the issue she was having. She quickly returned her attention to Jean, and he began to move.

"HEY," Scott screamed as he helped Kitty up. The platinum blonde raised her wrist. Something on her wrist flashed towards Jean. She raised a gold glove to shield her eyes, but the damage was done.

"What is the meaning of," A blood curdling scream made Scott's skin crawl. "NO!"

"JEAN," When she began hurdling towards the river, Ororo and Rogue took to the sky while Scott bleated below them.

"RED-"

Ororo and Rogue both caught her and carefully lowered her back on solid ground. Scott was already making his way to the white mutant, her frosty lips turned up in a smile. "WHAT DID YOU DO," He seethed, ripping his glasses off to unload in her. Logan was at his side, his hands shaking with adrenaline. This was big, he could feel the energy being thrown around. Something bad was going to happen. It probably already was.

"Something that _needed_ to be done." Scott fell to his knees, his head erupting in a sharp pain. Jean tossed and turned on the ground as Kitty and Ororo leaned over her. She was sweating profusely, moaning and thrashing against the ground in her strange suit._ 'No... No, please... Don't do it, don't give in...'_

"Jean, it's Ororo! It is okay, we are_ here!"_ The words didn't make her any less frantic. Rogue peeled her her glove off quietly and grazed her finger against her brother's bare arm. He hissed quietly in pain, already expecting his sibling to try and outsmart the telepath. When he leaned his head in his hand, Kitty examined him.

"Kurt?" She looked up as the strange, white clad mutant continued talking.

"Yes, I read minds and I_ know_ all about you. Yes, you over there. Miss I control weather and I can do anything." Her smile spreads even wider when she sees how ruffled they are. "Ms. Storm, I'll have you packed in the tightest box I can think of if you try it. And_ you_," Her face pinched. "Nobody with hair like that is al-" Her skin went pale when Rogue teleported. Years of mental shield exercises with the professor had kept her plan a secret.

Rogue reappeared above her, a porcelain hand reaching down. "ROGUE," Wolverine admonishes. It had been years since Rogue had touched anyone besides Jean when her powers became too much. And, that usually ended up with medbay visit. There was no way to tell what new memories might do to her psyche. Her hand connected with skin and both women screamed.

Tears washed down Rogue's face as the strange woman collapsed. Scenes of the eighteen hundreds, spells and ceremonies being held underground, secret societies and mutants who wanted to do the unthinkable. They'd been watching Jean. Her whole life. The Hellfire Club has covered the force inside of her for much longer. _'Force... What?'_ They're going to bring the worst out of her, and then it was all over. Flames. Death. Six billion screams.

"Rogue, are you okay?" Scott shouted from Jean's side. She was still having a fit, thrashing despite Ororo's best efforts. "_Rogue?"_

"E-Emma... Emma Frost. W-White_ Queen from the Hellfire Club_..." She pounded on her temples, feeling her grasp on the telekinesis slipping. Soon, every thought in a fifty mile radius erupted into her mind like Mt. Vesuvius. Logan almost covered his ears when Rogue began screeching again, unlike he'd ever heard. _"Nggghhhh NO,"_

_'Oh, heavens! Please,_' Ororo begged._ 'Someone stop them! She's hysterical!'_

_'Jean? Jean, say something. We need you...'_ Scott's tortured thoughts burst through her mind.

_'Oh man, what do we do?_' Soon, it extended beyond her teammates.

_'Is this an attack? Terrorists? Are cellphones working...'_

_'Help me! Please!'_ And then, Rogue's mind crossed with Jean's black voice.

_'Becoming. Undoing. Genetically inferior. Genetic messes. It is my job, our duty. To eradicate the evolutionary ants from existence. One by one. Until there is nothing in space, but space for me to roam. To be free. To create a world anew, born from the fires of my flames! I am the Black Angel, Chaos Bringer... I AM DEATH!'_ It seemed that Jean was fighting these black thoughts churning within in her, and she was about to lose.

_"NO,_" Rogue shot to the sky like a rocket while Kurt and Logan looked on in horror.

"Fight it, Rogue! _Fight_ through the memories!" He screamed up at her through cupped hands. Jean began glowing with an orange light. Kurt disappeared when Rogue suddenly began to plummet towards the ground. He caught his sibling in mid air and teleported back to the ground. She moaned in Kurt's arms as Logan examined her.

"Kid," He growled. "You _know y_ou can't do that anymore." She tried to sit up, but failed and collapsed against her brother.

"E-Emma Frost. Hellfire Club." She stared at Jean's writhing form beside Scott. "They did this. You have to _help her..._" He frowned as she passed out. He shook her in a frenzy.

"Rogue!"

"Go," Kurt insisted, his troubled stare on his sibling. "I'll stay vith her. Go!" Kitty replaced his spot as he took off, running to get to Jean's side. He didn't know what Rogue meant, but he had to pass it along. He'd almost reached her side when another explosion of light sent him slamming through a store's window. He shot to his feet fast, cuts and lacerations disappearing. He emerged to find Jean hovering above the felled team. Her eyes solid black.

That wasn't Jean he was staring at, it was something else. Scott was forcing himself to sit up and so was the woman Rogue identified as Emma Frost. A dark haired man reached down to help her stand, a rueful smirk on his face. _"What have you people done,_" Scott raged. Jean was no longer clad in green. She was an ominous glowing red. Her hair waving from her scalp like fire, she was looking down on them. Like ants. Tiny little beings. "Jean..."

_"Silence._" Emma Frost and her two male associates stared up at the figure in question. Everything they'd done, they'd done for this. _"Who has done their best to bring me forth?"_ Scott searched her face for green eyes. Perfect, luminous skin. Because now, she was the opposite. Ororo swallowed and climbed to her feet beside him.

"And, who are _you_?" She flinched when Jean smiled. It was hollow and black.

_"Hear me, X-Men. Hellfire Club._" The smile slid off Emma's face._ "I am no longer the woman you knew._" She looked at Scott and Logan_. "The woman you love. I am fire and light; incarnate. Now and forever. I am Dark Phoenix!"_ When Emma stepped forward, however, that stole her attention.

_'Jean, Jean... Please, if you can hear something. Say something!'_

_'Professor..._' He got a response, but Jean sounded unlike he'd ever heard. She ignored him again and turned towards Emma.

_"Ms. Frost... White Queen Of The Hellfire Club..."_ Droplets of water began to rise and seemingly float through the air, like there was no gravity. Kitty and Ororo watched as more and more moisture gathered around her. In seconds, the drops became flames. _"I understand you call yourself something of a telepath..."_ Soon, she's doused in the flames. But, her skin and uniform remain unburnt. _"You intend to slay me and take the force for yourself? As if the Phoenix force doesn't choose..."_

Emma only smiled. "I'm rather persuasive." Logan looked between them as Jean raised a hand. She'd referred to herself as dark, and he knew that meant she was capable of anything.

_"Mastermind. Sebastian Shaw."_ The broad built men anchored at Emma's side bristled. _"It was nice knowing you."_ She clutched a fist as Scott began to sob. X-Men didn't kill, and neither did Jean._ "It's just you, me, and the Phoenix."_

But, the mutants she mentioned simply faded into ash. Screaming, as their remains were trapped on the White Queen's outfit.

"JEAN, NO!" Scott yelled, struggling to pull out of Kitty and Ororo's arms.

"RED!" Emma's lip trembled when she realized what she was really up against. That what she'd been bred and primed for wasn't actually possible. Jean was no mutant, she was a goddess. And, it turned out the Phoenix force was quite happy to stay. "_Well, your majesty. Let's see how good you really are._" Emma held up her hands but it was no use. It was like a beetle fighting an elephant. Despite her efforts, she was thrust into darkness.

Summoning everything she'd been taught about her powers, a white flare sends Jean's darkness away. "They call me _White Queen_ for a reason. You are simply a mad dog!" She was covered in a sheen of sweat, fighting for her life against Jean's terrible power.

_"Aw, is that all you've got?_" Emma is flustered. Anyone else's mind would be putty, but the Phoenix is laughing. _"You have that, Emma."_ A swell of dark matter raised behind her as the terrified X-Men look on.

'_You must stop her, Scott. You have to! If she gives in anymore to her power... We will never reach her again.'_ He tossed a frantic look to Rogue, but she was still out. "JEAN! Jean, it's okay! Listen to me! It's over!" He shouted, waving his hands. She didn't even look at him.

"RED, Red listen!" Logan tried. He ran forward but the concrete began tearing up under his feet. "You don't want to do this. You don't want to go there, even if you think you do. Know it feels righteous, but it ain't. We're the X-Men, not the judge, jury, and executioner!"

"Jean, no! You must return to us!" Ororo sailed in the sky and summoned all the rain she could muster. But, not even torrential rain could does Jean's fires.

When massive raindrops pelted her face, Rogue came to beside Kitty. She moaned and rubbed her head, catching her best friend's attention. Emma was on her knees, her arms raised weakly to defend herself.

"_My power is a song within me, White Queen. The chorus of which will be your screams. It is beyond human comprehension. I am more alive than you've ever been, Emma. I will always be. Before, now, and after. You, your screams will fade into the cosmos. I'll make sure of it." _Logan and Scott watched in complete disbelief as Jean pummeled the near defenseless mutant into the ground. They'd never seen her fight so viciously, not even when Mystique had stranded Scott. _"Are you ready to find out what's waiting for us all?"_

"No, Jean!" Kitty screams as Rogue wobbles to her feet. "You don't want to do this, you _don't_ want to hurt people! The X-Men protect!" She flinched when Rogue dropped her gloves. "Yeah, cause _that_ went so well before,"

"The professor asked." Rogue grunted. Her face was hard, like glass, but Kitty saw more behind turbulent, grey eyes. Fear. "If she freaks any more... Whatever they've done... We won't be able to fix." Her voice was flat. This wasn't the first time she's been faced with this predicament. Emma was wailing, surrounded by darkness as Jean watched. And, smiled. She couldn't stay like that. This was worse than Rogue's rampage after Ms. Marvel, and her psyche had been heavily damaged.

"Be careful." Is all Kitty says. Scott's staring at them both, begging with a stare as the rain beat down on them all.

Her hair slicked against her, Rogue shot to the sky with two bare hands left outstretched. Logan cursed as Scott watched, praying it was enough to bring her to her senses. Luckily, she was too enamored with Emma's suffering to notice. The Phoenix force had never felt anything like it, before. She grabbed on to Jean's chin from behind, but was met with a force and resistance like never before.

Rogue screeched and was repelled back through a bus stop. Her hands were sizzling. Kitty and Logan tore off as Scott stared up, helplessly. Kurt watched and waited for an opportunity to port and help the woman, but Jean's power was starting to incinerate things close to her._ 'I can't help her...' "The Phoenix is like an X-Ray, Emma. Tearing through every self-deception."_

_'Don't do this, Jean.'_ Charles begged, Cerebro atop his head. What he's already seen was worse than the dreams that kept him up at night. '_Don't let it win.'_

_"So, burn._" She lifted a fist and Emma erupted into flames. Stunned, Bobby shot a stream of ice, but it did nothing to hamper the flames. Emma was the third person it appeared their teammate had killed, and the look in her eye didn't seem like she was going to stop there.

"J-Jean... Come on,_ she's_..." Kurt gave up when he realized she wasn't listening. Her black eyes were fixated on the spot where Emma was.

_"There is no Jean. They will be the first..."_ She sneered cruelly over her shoulder. "_Of many. I'm going to burn it all, piece by piece." _


	4. An Ultimatum

"Jean! _Listen to me!_" Kurt and Ororo were holding Scott back from being incinerated by his fiancé. News crews had fled, and so had all the other pedestrians. More and more turf and concrete broke apart at Jean's whim. Her eyes were black holes, and you could cut diamonds on her sneer as her 'teammates' looked on. Emma had to be a smoldering pile of ash, by now. And soon, they would all follow. "Please. You did it before, you'll do it _again!_ You'll come ba-"

_"Do you really think Jean's omega yawn is anything compared to right now?"_ They watched the nature and brush near her mutate to different colors. Then, different species of plants._ "I am everything. All at once. Jean elevates me, but we are much more now than just Jean. This destruction, though..."_ The ground shook as more concrete disintegrated, pushing the X-Men back. _"This destruction is her idea. Lashing out against a world that hates her, despite all she does..." _

"You're wrong." Scott hissed, shaking in Ororo's grasp. "You're _lying_!"

Logan dragged a bare finger against Rogue's skin and winced at the sting. Just long enough to heal the painful looking singes on her hands. The telepath had never been this bad off, before. Kitty shook beside him, her hair whipping in the chaos. When Scott pressed forward despite the team's pleas, he began to shout. "Slim, don't do it!_ She's lethal_!" He screamed for him, but it was no use. Cackling, Jean thrust a hand and he levitated.

Kurt teleported while Ororo wailed, but he was sent back colliding into her.

_"Tiny man..."_ She seethed. _"You think you mean so much to Jean?"_ He shut his eyes tight when his visor was stripped violently from his face._ "She is drawn to you because of her ties to me... I am Jean Grey's destiny. Her fate. To be above all else in existence. She is drawn to you..."_ She waved a hand that was flushed with veins. "_Because, your optic blasts give me life. Energy. You don't shoot beams from your eyes, fool. You harness raw energy from space. Raw energy that helps me traverse this universe... That is why she could not be without you. Subconsciously setting herself up for this."_

Tears stripped down Scott's chiseled jaw as she forced his eyes open. Jean bathed in the red light, the eyes of madness staring back at him._ "This is our red string of fate."_ She shoved her palm and Scott was sent tumbling back at Kurt and Bobby's feet, shaking from the ground. _"Jean, to Phoenix, to Dark Phoenix. With or without the Hellfire Club. To her life, this progression is as inevitable as death. Your Charles has known, and would rather gamble the world than be without his precious Jean."_

More tears streamed out of Scott's shut eyes as Ororo blankly fit his glasses back on. Jean's transformation into the hellish succubus in front of them explained Charles' troubled and distant behavior of the past few years. But, she didn't think even he could be prepared for what his glimpses of the future meant. Not back then, when they were so full of hope.

Rogue twitched beside Logan and Kitty, and the broad man ushered her down. "Sit this one out." His teeth were clenched, fists clenching and unclenching. Jean sounded madder than Mystique did. This whole situation had spun out a long time ago, and they were just going to have to deal with it. He turned his attention to white bangs when Rogue made a startled cry, one that didn't sound like her own voice.

"Oh, gosh..." Kitty whispered, her mind wandering to Scott and Jean's senior year. When Jean's powers made the basement need renovations for months. When her, Scott, and Rogue had that weird moment that nobody ever addressed.

"Scott,_ no..." J_ean panted through Rogue's mouth. The hair stood up on Logan's arms. "Get away, please... _Leave me be!_" The X-Men's leader turned, hearing his fiancé's voice through the insanity.

"J-J..." He tore off past Bobby and Jubilee and landed at Rogue's side, clutching her shoulders so tight, even Logan looked away. "I'm_ right here._ I'm not going anywhere." He gripped her tighter, and she gasped. _"I won't_. Talk to me, what's going on? Whatever they did, we'll fix it._ I'll fix it._ I won't let you..." Rogue began to tremble as Kitty rubbed her back. "Jean, let me help you."

"It's all happening too fast," She moaned through Rogue's dark painted lips. "Scott, I can't do it, I can't..." She grabbed on to Scott's arm and gripped, tight. "I can't control it. I can't stop... I, I don't know what's me and what isn't. But_, if you stay_... If you let me continue..." Tears streaked makeup down milky skin. His fists clenched, Scott looked behind him where Jean watched. In silence. Bathed in flames. "_I will destroy everything_. Please. Don't let me... Stop me, Scott. Before I burn it all..."

Logan screamed when his claws shot out and dragged towards Jean's floating body.

Scott can't believe what he's hearing Jean's voice tell him. Even now, as things look hopeless, how could she expect him to? "No." Is all he says, his fingers digging into the shoulder of Rogue's X-Suit. "_No,_ we don't trade lives." Logan shielded his eyes and Jean erupted into another blinding flare. Rogue slumped against Kitty, her head foggy.

When she groaned, Kitty leaned down. "I've got you." Is all she said, staring at Scott's short cropped hair.

_'Scott. Logan. Jean's power-level is off the charts and rising. I'm tracking it with Cerebro. She can destroy the entire city of Bayville, right now.'_ Both Scott and Logan looked at their hands. _'That's over a million casualties, there... If she get's much stronger, she could destroy the world. And, incensed by the Hellfire Club's device... She will. You, you must...'_

_'Chuck?'_ Logan looked at Rogue feebly batting at her eyes, her hair clinging to her face in the rain. Kurt stood with Ororo, Bobby, and Jubilee as Jean raged. Helpless. Hopeless._ 'What... What are you asking me?'_ Even as she was or Rogue at her worse, he wouldn't cut either of them down. And, he'd never believe the man would insinuate that.

_'I don't know, Logan.'_ But, soon Scott's telepathic voice interrupted them both.

_'How long have you known, that this would happen? WHAT are you going to do?'_

_'Scott... Even I could not-'_

_'Help her, professor! SAVE her!'_ He could not see the telepath's frantic tears or sense his helplessness, but it wouldn't have soothed him. _'I won't hurt her, and I won't watch her go through this.'_

_'If you go near her, we will lose you, too. Scott, I'm sorry for not handling this in the right way, but our Jean is-'_

"No." Scott said out loud, clenching his teeth as he rose.

_"Scott,_" Rogue called out hoarsely, but he didn't heed her. Logan stood and reached out for Scott's shirt, his mouth bared in a snarl.

"You heard him. Unless you want to be burned away..." They watched as even Ororo's wind, ice, and rain were forced back farther and farther by Jean's might. Tear shined in his own dark eyes. "There's no reasoning with that-"

_"That_ is Jean. And, she always will be." The wind made his jacket flap against him as he struggled to think. "Rogue, can you..." She struggled to lean up on shaking arms, but Kitty's eyes shot up.

"No way! Did you see what happened, before! Stop it, Scott! We all want to help Jean, but you can't throw somebody under the bus to do it!" He was staring, his face stoic as Jean continued to rage and spread destruction. Rogue was sitting up now, ignoring the squabbling. This wasn't necessarily wasn't a new conversation, either.

"Rogue's a big girl, Katherine." He got like this when Jean was in danger. Tunnel vision. She was all he could see or think about.

"Ah..." Logan grabbed the collar of Scott's shirt and wrenched him forward.

"You _saw_ what happened, before. We passed the point where Rogue can drain her off a long time ago, so I suggest we come up with something else." This was not the first of Scott's arguments with the older man. He may have been Kitty and Rogue's stand-in father. Most of the girls' at the school. But, his relationship had long passed undefinable with Jean a long time ago, especially as she seemed less like herself.

He shoved Logan away and held a finger to his face. "You back the fuck off. _I_ lead this team, not you. Rogue's an adult." He exhaled sharply and tried to wrack his brain for an idea. This was bigger than Rogue, and her powers. And, as badly as he wanted to save Jean he didn't want to see anyone be hurt. Nobody except himself, because he could live with that. He would die for her. In a heartbeat. There was nothing else he wouldn't do.

_"Because, your optic blasts give me life. Energy. You don't shoot beams from your eyes, fool. You harness raw energy from space. Raw energy that helps me traverse this universe... That is why she could not be without you. Subconsciously setting herself up for this."_

The Phoenix force, whatever it was, it wasn't going anywhere. The professor was still screaming into the minds of anyone who would listen. The world was in more danger than when Apocalypse rose. And, their enemy was_ Jean._ Scott couldn't watch her do things the real Jean would never dream about. Die, before doing. Jean was life. Love. The protection of her friends. Not darkness and flames.

_'I have the optic blasts it wants. Maybe... Maybe, I can call it into me. Anything, to spare her. Who knows...'_ Determination crossed his features_. 'Maybe... Maybe I can control it. My whole life at the institute has been learning the professor's dream. Leading a team of mutants to protect others. Maybe, this way I can.'_ Kitty and Rogue shrieked as stalked forward. He never thought straight when it came to the red headed telepath.

_"Scott," _Rogue moved to follow, but Kitty held her back.

"Don't try to stop me." He declared, taking off full speed for the crater that Jean had created.

"SCOTT," Snarling, Logan took off after him. He was going to get murdered by the love of his life if he didn't do something. When he passed Kurt and Bobby, he screamed at them. "Keep half-pint safe and your sister from doing something_ stupid!_" The blue mutant frowned in the direction of his teammates. Logan ran as fast as stout legs would carry him. But, it wasn't fast enough.

He stood as close as he could without burning, which wasn't that close anymore. Jean seemed more fire than human, flames extending from her fingertips as Scott stared up at her. Just like he always has. _"You were worthy of Jean Grey, Scott Summers. I'll give you that. But she, in all her glory, was only a firecracker. The Phoenix is an atom bomb."_ She held up a palm with a floating, fire earth. "_You are nothing. Less than nothing. Away from me."_

"No." Scott set his boots on the ground. "If you know me, know Jean. You_ know_ I'm not leaving." Unflinchingly, Ororo hovered beside him.

"Don't do this," She warned, Charles screaming frantically in her head. "Scott, you have to think about this. The school. What she would want..."

_'Stop him, Ororo! Please, Jean is not bluffing. She will destroy him. I cannot bare it!'_

_"You intrigue me as much as you annoy me, ant."_ The weather goddess screamed when Jean raised Scott through the air, seemingly leaving him unharmed.

"Jean. DON'T!" Ororo raised to the sky as the rains picked up, again. Thunder clapped and lightning illuminated Jean's devil face. Without even a movement, Storm was sent into the side of a building.

_"What is it you think you have to offer me? One who has and is everything?_" She clutched a fist and Scott hissed.

"Unlimited power... You said it, yourself." Logan was standing at the base of the crater, his skin burning and healing, rapidly._ 'God damn it Scooter, Charles... He can't lose you. Not you both, he can't take it.'_ Jean's eyes narrowed as she studied Scott's face. "My optic blasts give you power, so why don't you consolidate?" He reached up and removed his glasses, blasting Jean in the face. She didn't flinch. His blasts felt so good. Like a nice, warm hug.

Rogue had forced herself to her feet, despite Kurt and Kitty's complaints. She could feel it in her bones. Scott was about to make a huge mistake.

"Cyclops! _Don't do this_!" Logan shouted through cupped hands as he helped Ororo stand. "You... You don't understand..." Charles had communicated very quickly what kind of danger they were in. And, they wouldn't benefit from the force changing hosts. "Jean _wouldn't_ want you to!" Scott ignored the panicked cries sounding from the ground. He held Jean's black stare.

_"You think you could handle the force?_" Is all she responded with a spreading grin. He nodded. _"You would die, trying?"_

"I will do_ anything_ for you." He held her stare, unafraid as as she saw him for everything he is.

_"I hope you are ready for real power, Scott Summers. I hope the human mutant Jean Grey is worth it._" She raised a glowing arm. He only smiled. He could die knowing she was okay.

"I know she is."

"DON'T," Ororo screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Scott, _please!"_ The light covered them both as Scott felt a warmth rising inside of him. His eyes began to glow with a fierce red light as the shining force entered him. With speed she shouldn't have been capable of, Rogue zipped through the rain and to Logan and Ororo's side.

"What's he doing. _Tell me_ what he's doing!" She shrieked, even though two wide grey eyes were giving her the answer. Her hands were still a little burned, and the bags under her eyes were violet. _"Logan.._." The sky flashed so bright she fell to the ground at Ororo's feet. The white haired woman bent down beside her, marveling at the sky in horror.

When the light dimmed, Jean laid still on the ground. And, Scott was hovering above them all. Screaming as the red and orange lights filled him._ 'Scott, you are nearer to me than my own son. What have you done...'_

_'What I had to._' The shape of a flame-filled bird filled the sky as everyone watched.

_'SCOTT!'_ Tears slide down Rogue's porcelain face as she watched flames overtake her leader. However long Jean would've fought, struggled against her inevitable destiny, it would overtake him. Instantly. His class of mutantry was not made to withstand whatever was happening to Jean Grey. She was an omega level telepath. She was a strand of hay in a needle stack. The Phoenix force would turn him inside out. And, the little teenager in her who loved him couldn't bare to watch.

Logan stood still as she dropped her gloves. He was losing count of what time this was. "Figure third times a charm to get you killed?" He snapped, watching Scott glow with flames.

_"He's..."_ When her breath hitched, he faced her. Her eyes were locked on him, losing the battle against the force. He was screaming with tears washing down his face as she shook her head_. "Can't_ let it ruin h-" Her voice cut off short when Logan's adamantium fist crashed into her stomach. Adamantium was one of the only things left to slow her nearly impervious skin down. Even when she wore her inhibitor collar, her invulnerability, strength, and flight remained because Ms. Marvel did not have an X-Gene.

The surprise and her exhausted state left her limp in his arms, his expression dark. Jean was moaning below Ororo, who stood in sheer shock. _"Logan-"_

"Slim_ made_ his choice, 'Ro." Although Rogue dangled in his arms, his stare was anchored on Jean's face. _'One I know I can't blame him for...'_ He adjusted Rogue in his arms and turned sadly towards the sky. "I'm not letting her go down with that ship. I can't. If she does, it can be for somebody who loves_ her _back." He looked away from the flames in the sky. He understood enough of what was happening to Jean to know he'd never let the girl in his arms go through it. "We have to hope Scott can handle this..."

The white haired woman slowly put her head in her hands as Kitty and Kurt joined them. "Heaven _help us_, Logan." He shut his eyes, tight. When Jean began to move at her feet, she stooped down and peered at worriedly. "Jean, honey..." She grunted as she forced herself to sit up, her mind feeling wrung out like a rag. Kitty tried to caution her as she moved red hair from her face.

She saw Kurt, and Rogue in Logan's arms._ 'How... Am I down here?'_ She turned a reluctant stare up in the sky. Where Scott hovered, inhabited by the Phoenix force. "NO," Her scream shoots parked cars yards down the road. She tried to stand, but Kitty and Ororo held her back. "He can't control it! It'll kill him, _please!"_

"You can't move, right now!" Kitty tried to argue, her eyes filling with tears at the prospect of Scott dying. Of becoming their enemy, like Jean had been moments ago.

_'Count your blessings, Red.'_ Logan shoots over everyone's heads.

_'It isn't supposed to be this way.'_ His stare hardened, petty feelings replacing the thoughts that should've in his head.

_'Well, it's the way it is now.'_ Jean rose to her feet despite her friends' protests.

"Please, don't go up there." Kurt begged. He'd never seen such terrible insanity. If the world hated mutants before, there would be sentinels parked on their lawn by morning. And, Scott was only glowing brighter. "I-It's too dangerous."

"Scott! Scott, I'm here. I _know_ what you're going through..." Tears spread down the red head's face. "I'm here now, _please._ Stop." Through all the fire and destruction, he heard her voice. The only thing that made sense._ 'Jean...'_ The rain ceased and Scott finally stopped shining like a star. Jean gasped as he began to drop towards the shattered ground. The Phoenix was dormant, for now. But, Jean knew most of all that it would be back.

She took off flying before Ororo could stop her, and Scott's descent was slowed by her telekinesis. He drifted into her arms as they both settled against the ground. "Oh, _Scott."_ She sighed, stroking his face as she stared at pallid, flushed skin. "What have you _done_..." Her eyes went wide when he groaned and tried to move.

"Think this counted as longer than a while..." He mumbled, so relieved to to see her face again. He nuzzled her hand weakly as she stroked his face. He was hot to the touch.

"We'll bring the jet closer... We must get everyone looked at." Ororo says, mostly in a daze. The weather goddess has enough intuition to know the X-Men's troubles are far from over. Logan watches her take Kurt, Bobby, and Jubilee with her. Then, his stare lingered on Jean, her head leaned against Scott's. He hated himself for thinking it, but he was starting to feel that they'd just made things a lot worse.


	5. A Visit

Jean stood in the medbay, her exhausted stare never leaving Scott's rising chest. He shouldn't have been lying there, he should've been setting fire to more than she'd been. There was no way he could control the Phoenix, not for long. And, it makes her sick to think about what they were up against. What Scott might do with the cosmic entity inside of him. The medical instruments began to rattle before she wrangled her own, massive powers. Even completely fatigued and without the force, she still had so much power.

"Everything alright, dear?" Hank smiled at her wearily, Scott's medical charts in his hands. She only nodded, her mouth pressed in a grim line. Someone had handed her Scott's X-Jacket, she'd forgotten who. It was wrapped loosely around her as she took her face into her hands. Nothing was alright.

"Hank... How is he?" She placed a trembling hand on Scott's arm. Still, burning hot. The blue mutant chuckled lightly.

"Well, his temperature is _110 degrees_. And, his heart rate is elevated. But, his vitals look better than the last check up he got..." The red head was familiar with the vitality that accompanied the force's presence. What felt like moments was an eternity for her, bonded with the living solar flare. Soon, Scott would house more power than he could ever possible hold. "It's... It's quite remarkable."

"It makes perfect sense, Henry..." Jean looked at the ground. "What was wrong with me, will now be wrong with_ him._" He was familiar with Jean's white hot rages and her terrifying lapses in control. He had been tasked with finding some sort of medical cure for them by Charles. The importance was only surpassed by finding a fix for the limited space in Rogue's mind. He couldn't even begin to imagine Scott the same way.

"We don't know that..." His response is weak. They did know that. And, they had no idea what it meant. They'd only know when he woke up. "From what Logan and the professor have told me, all we can do is believe in him. And, hope that this works." Jean only sighed.

_'He didn't do it to save the world, he did it to save me.'_ Her fist clenched tight, wishing Wolverine would've dragged his claws through her like she asked. _'The world is still very much in danger...' _Times like these were rare, but the telepath wished she'd never been born. Then, maybe the Phoenix would just be flinging across space instead of terrorizing them.

"Try and get some rest, Jean. I'll be looking after him..." She frowned. She would never rest until her fiancé was exorcised.

"The Phoenix and I have unfinished business." She took a seat at Scott's bedside, her face blank. "I need to be here when he wakes." She folded her hands tensely in her lap. "It's important." The blue man rushed to her side, his mouth pulled down in a frown.

"You aren't going to try and call the Phoenix back to you, are you?" She only stared into his eyes as an answer. "Jean..."

"I won't let it do this to him, Henry. The thoughts I had, the things I_ saw_..." A tear dropped down her face as she looked away, ashamed of herself for the violent and ugly thoughts. Her friends and family, screaming. Burning. "I _love_ him, too much. I won't let him become what he's devoted his life to fighting." A glint in the corner of the room caught her eye. "What's..." It was a shining, diamond replica of the blonde telepath from the concert. Crouching in terror. She remembers. "_Why is-"_

"We found her once... Everything calmed down." Hank explained, nervously._ 'I wonder what Jean remembers...'_ He'd only had the events relayed to him, and he was glad that he hadn't been present to see her pound another mutant into dust. "After... Your battle. She was found in that state." Memories flooded the telepath in rapid succession._ She_ started all of this. If Jean knew better, she'd say they orchestrated all the events of the night.

"Lock the figure up, we have no idea if she can return to her normal state." She instructed coldly. She had half a mind to shatter her, but they all had bigger issues at hand. The violent thought made Scott swell with flames, lighting up the whole room. Hank shrank away in both surprise in fear.

"Oh my_ stars and garters.._." Hank whispered, marveling at Scott's unburnt skin. "He's... He's fine! And, it appears the force is still responding to_ you._ Fascinating..." He turned to the diamond woman in the corner of the room. "I'll... Have Logan come do something with her. Try not to get Scott riled up before I get back." She watched as the furry mutant disappeared into an elevator.

When she was alone, Jean held her head in her hands and sobbed. '_Oh, Scott...'_

"Why the long face?" She jumped when she realized he was sitting up in bed, smiling at her. Seemingly fine, for now. Beaming. Glowing. Hank was right, he'd never looked stronger. Brighter. The sight mesmerized her as her eyes traced the line of his jaw.

"S-Scott, you're..." She reached out and caressed his warm face. "How could you be so reckless? And,_ foolish_!" She screeched, more tears welling in her eyes. "Don't you know what you've..." Her lip trembled, suddenly tired of complaining. She knew he wasn't sorry, she could feel it in their mental link. And, given the same circumstances, she would've done the same. Without a thought.

"You know I don't care." He grabbed her hand. "Are you _okay?_" He never wanted to see her like that again, even it that meant it became his fate.

"What do you think?" She wiped shakily at her eyes. "This is far from over, you know. For you. For _all of us."_ He grabbed her neck and stared into her eyes, holding her gaze with ease.

"Come what may, Jean. I'm ready. I've actually never felt better." Their eyes met, and even behind his glasses she saw his eyes glow. She grabbed his hand, tight. They would get through this. They could get through anything. She remembers the black thoughts raging through her head. The madness. The darkness. That wasn't going to be the last time it reared it's ugly head.

"That's what I'm _afraid_ of, Scott."

* * *

In an infirmary room down the hall from Jean and Scott, Rogue came to. Her temples and stomach were pounding, and her head was sloshing with the runoff of many strange memories. A blonde little girl with blue eyes, crying. The German countryside. A car ride with her parents. None of these memories are her's. The imposter syndrome episodes were increasing. Charles always said it was bad when her waking thoughts were not her own. She groaned, attracting the attention of someone in the corner.

Her own memories slowly cleared in her mind. Jean was unstoppable. Incendiary. Hellish. Scott was going to kill himself. _'No,'_ She made a panicked noise, and none other than Gambit came into sight. Their relationship is complicated, at best. Better than it was when she left him in New Orleans. Not as far along as he'd hoped by this time. But, it's undeniable that they care about each other. And, times of stress make it apparent.

He was waiting there, instead of Logan. That meant one thing. Once before, Rogue woke up like this. With a sore side, on a couch. Logan took off to fight Omega Red, refusing help. And, he'd knocked Rogue out to make sure she didn't follow him. When she sat up quickly, it all made sense. Scott was succumbing to the Phoenix force. The curse destined to Jean because of her immeasurable power. And, she was about to drain it off. Logan stopped her.

"God, _what did he do?_" She hissed, angry tears welling in her eyes. If she didn't get a chance to touch him, then he was...

"Easy, _chére._ Everythin' fine." He held up his hands in fingerless gloves, his trench coat dragging along the medbay floor. Her narrow stare landed on him, and he can see how exhausted she was. Her skin was flat instead of luminous, and her eyes had purple bags under them. He frowned at her appearance. "Wolvie says he saved yo' life. And, he knew you'd be mad, so he makin' himself scarce." The girl snorted at that, eyes studying a burgundy and navy shirt. Sounded just like him.

"An' what about _Scott?_" She asked, staring at the wall. The cajun noticed she was shaking, so afraid of what he might say. Remy edged a little closer.

"He aight too, he down a couple rooms." The New Orleans native can't help but feel jealous at how worried she is. Her mouth hangs open, and she seems to wonder if he would joke about something so serious. "Remy came t'see how ya feelin, Rogue'. Ya bro say ya touch a few people tonight,_ non?"_ She hit him with a bitter stare as he shuffled cards, nonchalantly. He was always inserting himself in her business. Acting way nicer than he needed to for way longer after kidnapping her. Being considerate, making sure she took care of herself. It made her sick. She was a Rogue, she didn't need anyone.

"Don't see how it's any of ya business, _swamp rat._" Her voice is shaking, she's very close to losing what little patience she has. The holy terror of the night has not left her in the mood for company. He studied silver bangs and baby hairs along her ears. He leaned against the wall and tried to frown.

"Thought ya wasn't gon' use yo mutation anymore. Ol' Carol wrecked 'em." He brings up, casually. He's very aware of the stress it can put on her mind and body, even if she's not. And, when nobody else is paying attention, he is. Her eyes are shut in quiet protest of his questions.

"Ain't really have a choice." She huffed and turned, haughtily. Like usual, this doesn't deter him. She began to growl when he moved closer.

"Everythin' alright,_ chére?_" She sighed, loudly.

"Gambit, jus' back off. Alright? Not in the mood." She raked a hand anxiously through her hair. He stooped down and looked quizzically into her face.

"Remy know, das why he askin' what's wrong." She only frowned.

"Easier question, ask me what _isn't._" She dropped her stare and held herself. "You're not my boyfriend, Gambit. Ya don't need to check on me. Ah can take care of myself. Been doin' it long, enough." Her arms folded as she waited to be left to her own devices. He stood, stubbornly in front of her. Unmoved by her words.

"First of all, it's _Remy._ Y'know dat." He set water down on the table beside her. "Second of all, ya do need someone to check on ya. Me and Wolvie been doin' it since forever. Like, when ya pass out on da Danger Room couch. Or, when ya go de whole day doin' classes and don' eat. We _feed_ ya. And, as for not bein' ya _boyfriend_? Who fault is dat?" Rogue's face glowed bright red. She'd had it with his audacity. "Ya won't let no one near you, Rogue. Even though ya need someone, maybe most of all." He stared at her, fearlessly. "Can't help ya if ya fight me the whole time."

"Who says Ah _need_ help." Is all she answers, her eyes studying gloved hands. He moved closer and placed a hand on her back.

"Everybody need's help sometimes, Rogue. Remy thinkin' ya do, now." He pulled her close in a cautious embrace that she didn't shove away. He almost gasped in surprise when her face broke, and tears leaked out of grey eyes.

"Ah'm_ scared,_ Remy. We've dealt with Jean's powers before, but... This is _different._ Just... Just tell me everything will be okay, please. Ah... Ah can't get_ her thoughts outta my mind. The darkness..._" She shook her head head as she tried to block the thoughts. The cajun looked down when her arms wrapped around him, squeezing so tight it started to hurt. He hushed her, stroking auburn hair gently. "What if Scott... What will we _do_?" He shut his eyes, tight.

"Remy, here. I'm here, _chére._ We figure out somethin'. It be alright." Charles would. He had the answer for everything. Right? Another sudden pain in her head made the southern girl shout in pain. Remy is leaning down, instantly. "Rogue? Y'alr-" The splitting pain enters his mind as well. This has happened, before. When Charles had nightmares. Sometimes, Jean would shake the house. But, he could send a psionic shockwaves so strong they could murder the entire school. "Hang on, Rogue..." He grit out through clenched teeth, his head collapsing under the pressure._ 'Mon dieu...' _

* * *

_Moments earlier..._

* * *

Charles did not have an answer for everything. And, certainly not this. He has been haunted by his visions. His knowledge of Jean's primal decay. That her soul would be twisted and stretched across time itself. Images and glimpses, flashes so horrible he awoke screaming at night. To the entire campus, shaking. To children waking up in tears. Everything he's done since has led to this moment. And, he's failed. Failed in a way he never imagined.

When Logan appears, pale and covered in sweat he knows what he needs to do. He must know exactly what's happened, and act accordingly. "Logan."

"Charles," The man is still in his X-Suit, a million thoughts battling to be spoken. "We gotta-"

"Open your mind to me. I must see it, all at_ once."_ He demands sharply. Logan hasn't seen him like this, before. Weary, he shuts his eyes and expects to have his mind tossed. Charles charged in and took in the nights events, images of Jean so awesome and terrible he began to scream. The Hellfire Club, the telepath downstairs in the basement. This was carefully planned, and executed.

And now, time's oldest and most powerful entity was inside of _Scott Summers_. Active leader of the X-Men, the glue that held them all together. A signal of authority to an entire school of mutants. This, was far worse than Jean. Jean was one with the universe, the devil coming to claim his rights. Hell on earth. But, now, the Phoenix had an army. A power that could unite more mutants than Jean ever could.

The Phoenix could lead a movement, a movement that conquered galaxies. All while being powered by his mutation. _'What have I done...'_ Slowly, but surely, Scott would be beyond reason. Logan snarled as the pain spread to his head, one that felt like it'd tear it in two. "C-Charles... _Stop..."_ He screamed. If it was causing him pain, it could kill others. fast. "CHUCK," He grabbed his shoulder and the episode stopped.

His sweat soaked head fell to his hands as Logan panted, staring at the bald telepath in shock. _'Jean...'_ Charles' head voice even was breathless. _'Is everyone alright...'_

_'I-I'll check...'_

He raised dark eyes to meet Logan's, Ororo inviting herself inside. In her hands were two pills.

_"Charles,"_

"I read Logan's mind to see what occurred tonight." The weather goddess had been sitting awake in her own bed, stunned by what she'd been powerless to stop. "I am alright, really..."

"Like hell." She responded back, shoving white pills in his hands.

"I... I cannot afford to dampen my powers. Not with..." She was surprised when the bald telepath broke out into open sobs. She felt the same, she couldn't blame him. She pulled him close to her in an embrace while Logan watched.

"Is the knife in the mind shit _done_, Charles." The man nodded, tiredly.

"Forgive me... Where is Scott, now?" Logan's face darkened.

"The infirmary." He answered, purposefully avoiding the cussing Rogue. "Hank says he's fine, for now. But, if what happened to Jean is gonna happen to him, Charles..." Words escaped the murderous, hateful look in Jean's eyes. Even in his blood-filled life he'd never experienced anything like it. It struck fear in his cold heart. Dread.

"I fear that something else entirely may happen. Something we cannot predict, or hope to control." Logan exhaled like a bull as Ororo hung her head.

"So, what are we going to do? You say Jean could destroy the whole world. _Chuck?_" He looked away from both of his loyal friends.

"I... Don't know. Logan, I don't know. We are in the same unthinkable place." He shut his eyes, wondering if the world would end because of his decisions.

"What you need is _rest,_ professor." Ororo insisted softly. "We still deal with tomorrow as it comes." She motioned for the man to get to his bed.

"Yes. We do." Logan held up a hand as they approached the door.

"Quiet." His eyes drifted to the window and the dark lawn. "No..." If Charles had been tracking Jean's power level, something else military or government had. And, they'd come to investigate. "The military. S.H.I.E.L.D. _Whatever,_ they're here to see what the Phoenix is about." His fingers waggled, anxiously. Last thing they needed was a fight.

_'Jean, assemble the main team. Tell Scott... To hang back.'_

_'He... Isn't going to like that, professor. He won't listen.'_

_'Tell him anyway, Jean.'_

He turned exhausted eyes to Ororo. "Gather the children, get them down in the Danger Room with Hank and Warren." She sighed as she rose.

"Understood."

"Logan," He didn't respond, he just filed out after Ororo and headed down the hallway. It was going to be a long night.


	6. A Plan

_'Main team, Logan senses a disturbance. Are you there?'_

_'Ouch.'_ Is all Rogue says back, Remy helping her into a sitting position.

_'Define there?'_ Kitty replies snarkily.

_'Gambit come an' party, since he miss de concert.'_

_'Vhat... Vhat kind of disturbance? Vhat now?'_

_'Piotr send little ones down stairs, then Piotr come.'_ Jean frowned at her fiancé who was was staring right at her from his infirmary bed. There were fires burning inside of him, she didn't have to read his mind to know that. The Phoenix's influence on her was still baked into her mind. She had purposefully shut him out of the communication, but she was sure he heard it, anyway. "Scott-"

"Something's wrong." He was still in in his uniform, his hands and head bandaged. She threw her hands up when he stood, the air whooshing around him.

"Wait a minute,"

"They've come for the school." He says, his jaw clenched tight. She sees a light flash in his visor. He wasn't going to stand by when he can finally do something about it.

"We'll handle it." She grabs a burning hot hand in concern. "You need to _rest_, Scott. We almost lost you! And, if your power level flares..." He placed a hand on her face.

"I did this to _protect you._ All of you." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Don't worry about me, Jean. I did this so you wouldn't worry, not anymore." Impossible when she knew what darkness was swirling around in him, waiting to be brought out. She dropped her eyes to the floor. "We'll let them know we've got _everything_ under control."

"Do we?" She answered back, searching his eyes. "The Phoenix is_ never_ under control. We know that." Her lip is trembling.

"Believe me, Jean." His hands slide around her slender waist. "Things are going to be different." He followed her stare behind him. Logan stood in the doorway, his claws already out. Lips pulled back in a snarl, hiding things he knows he cannot say.

"Jeannie. You feel up to_ smoothin'_ this over?" His stare landed on Scott, whose presence was making his skin crawl. He didn't fully understand what was going on with him or his future wife. But, he could feel that nothing was the same. Scott was a livewire, and they needed him to be their level headed leader. To lead them in and out of danger, safely. One look and he saw Charles was right, he couldn't be on the field.

"On it." She answers, her stare locked on the wall through tangled, red hair. She felt trapped between the men's stares, as she often did. Scott's eyes narrow behind his visor.

_"We'll_ be there." The brunette asserts, feeling the temperature rise in the room but he doesn't care. He has never felt so free. Free of worrying about Jean, free of caring what the world thought. He would protect this school and the people he cared about an any cost. He felt knowledge in him he'd never felt before. Fire. Light. They were going to be okay.

"Don't think Charles meant _you,_" Logan is quick to insist, his eyes locked on Scott. He's so unreasonably angry with him for what he chose to do, what he'd have done if he had the chance. "He wants_ you_ to stay out of it, what they're picking up on is the Phoenix force's power." Kitty phased a head through the wall to see Logan is already in there. And, from the looks of it, an argument is about to start. She shook cropped hair with a huff.

"Y-You guys..._ Mr. Logan._.." Nobody heard the petite's girl's voice in the mounting insanity.

"I'm the field leader of the X-Men." Is all Scott says, moving a hand that raises Logan out of the way. Jean gasps in shock. When Kitty sees the look on the short man's face, she quickly retreated. She'd seen her teammates bicker, enough. "The_ only_ place I'm going, is out there. To defend my school." Logan's too flustered to speak as he stalks out despite the professor's wishes. He moves to chase after him, but Jean's hand halts him.

"Please. _Wait._" He tries not to get lost in the scent of her hair, like firewood. Warm air. Clean sheets. Home... "You _know_ he's not thinking straight. Please, talk to him..." The wild man can't stand the look in Jean's eye. Desperate. Scared. He can't stand it when she's anything but happy. Safe. And, if Scott made her that he'd accept it. But, it was hard to watch the man spiral and the woman be forced to watch. Matters were out of their hands.

"I know, red. That's what I'm worried about..." He tried to disentangle himself from around her, his senses becoming hazy.

"Logan." Ororo is standing in the hallway, her normally luminous skin seeming flat. "We must... Scott is," Jean covers her face in her hands before looking up.

"Right." Logan moved quickly around her and into the hallway, not waiting for the red head to join in the elevator. Probably for the better as she makes it up the stairs. Some of the kids had gathered, peering out the door at the confrontation that was coming. They murmured and gasped amongst themselves, only separating when Jean moved to walk through in her striped, X sweater.

"Get downstairs, children." She says, and silently the small bodies obey. She can see Scott glowing outside, the X-Men standing around in shock. She can see sentinels past them. She glided through the air and through open doors, anchoring herself at her fiancé's side, no matter what. Logan stood behind them, his mouth hanging open. There, standing with two sentinels on his lawn...

_"Cap?"_ He barely whispered. The well built blonde won't meet his eyes. It's been decades since they last spoke. Since, he _could_ last speak. He doesn't have to look at Logan's face to know the hurt seated in his eyes. "Why didn't..." Now, he knew why Fury had stopped answering his calls about visits. He was standing there in his classic uniform, sans the winged cap. He, like Logan, hadn't aged a day since he was last seen. Around WWII.

"I'm sorry, Logan. Everything's... Everything's_ different_, now." Blue eyes study the well kept lawn. Quite a school the mutants had.

_'Please, tell me. Why are you here?_' Steve felt a chill as the telepath known as Charles contacted him telepathically. He may be a super soldier, but the idea of mutants still unsettled him. Superpowers, the powers of _gods._ It made his head spin to think about._ 'Last I checked, we were on the same side._' The psychic usually carried himself with a lot more dignity. He sounded weathered and anxious.

'_You know it's hard for S.H.I.E.L.D to look at sides after the San Francisco event.'_ Rogue's crouching beside her brother and Remy, wrapped tightly in the southern mutant's trench coat. Her eyes were focused on the yellow haired Avenger, the one Logan had told her and the others all about. He had the look of someone having a telepathic conversation for one of the first times, and she knew what they were talking about.

Remy's fingers danced on the top of her hair, sensing her tenseness. She always was when S.H.I.E.L.D was around.

_'That was an accident, Mr. Rogers. The girl turned herself in and we found who was responsible...'_

_'Don't shoot the messenger, Charles.'_ The Avenger tried to lock eyes with Scott, but he found it difficult. "Tony got some readings in his labs, one I was sent to investigate." He admitted reluctantly. "Let's not make this hard. One of you fried one of his consoles. Let's talk about it."

"Don't do this, Steve." Logan begged, knowing a war would be brought to their lawn in Scott flexed the awesome power he was barely containing. Kitty stood behind him, her fingers wiggling. _"Please."_

"There were complications handling the Exploration disaster." Scott answered cooly, gazing at his hand. Jean watched him, frozen helplessly as she realized they had no idea where he wanted to take this confrontation. The sentinels stood still, likely being programmed by Tony Stark or any General at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Ready to attack at the drop of a dime. "The energy you sensed came from interference in space, after Jean Grey _saved_ those astronauts. Didn't see you there,_ Cap."_

Steve almost chuckled. "Then, she apparently caused_ three hundred and fifty thousand dollars of damage_ downtown, in... Ten minutes." He held a hand to his ear as someone communicated in his ear. "Funny, they're not getting those readings from _her_ anymore." He forced Scott's stare now, as he wonders what happened at the concert. "Tony says they're coming from you."

Scott only smiled. "Funny, indeed." His eyes set a red glow onto everything their eyes can see. Even Logan looks around in wonder as they saw things the way Scott did, every day. Bathed in red. Rogue rose from the ground, trying to find the nerve to fight. Because, it seemed like the sentinels would attack them at any moment. "We handled something _nobody else_ could. Don't worry about what power levels you're reading, just be grateful we're on the same side." Ice blue eyes narrowed.

_'Why am I not so sure?'_

"I'd like to think that. Cyclops." He avoids Logan's stare as someone clearly speaks in his ear. "I'm being instructed not to engage. But, these will be keeping watch incase what happened tonight happens, again. Whatever happened in space," He looks past Logan, wondering how they had been partners at one time. "The Avengers will get to the bottom of that."

Kurt runs forward when he turns to leave. "Hey, vait! You can't! T-These things _kill_ my friends,_ children_!" He cried frantically, hands on his head.

"Yeah, Trask is_ such_ a genius. What if they malfunction and shoot a bunch of rockets into a school?" Kitty added, his cheeks burning red in anger. Mutants were never thanked for anything they did. Blamed for everything else. This was overkill, even with all the craziness. "Well? What then?" Steve holds his shield up.

"That shouldn't happen..."

"It_ has_ happened," Rogue hissed, Remy standing in front of her. "Sentinels _have_ malfunctioned and hurt innocent people. We cleaned up_ that_ mess, too."

"Listen, everyone... I'm sorry. This is how it is for right now, you can't ask Tony or S.H.I.E.L.D to ignore what they saw..." Scott clenched a fist.

"Yes, you can. Whatever you're reading is the result of us getting involved to_ help_. Help_ your_ people, helpless humans. And, instead of coming to help or add aid you post _sentinels_ in our yard. The yard of a _school_. Don't do this." The light glowed brighter as tears welled in Scott's eyes. Where they saw danger, and destruction. He saw hope. He saw peace. He saw Xavier's dream and the chance to finally achieve it. "You leave these death machines in our lawn, and you're saying we are a _threat. A_nd, a threat cannot stand guard and protect those that _deem them_ a threat."

"Scott," Logan cuts in, his eyes wild. Bobby, Piotr, Kitty, and Amara all exchange glances. What was Scott talking about?

_'Scott? Wait a minute,'_ Charles begs, unable to read his first student's mind any longer.

"What you fear,_ I embrace_. And if you make me..." Steve's eyes go wide as the flames generate around Scott. His uniform burns and is a replaced by a black and red X-Suit, and a hood covering his head and the sides of his face. Jean watched in terror as the force slowly took him over, black thoughts screaming into her mind. '_No... Please.'_ The red glow ceased, and all the Avenger could hear was the beating of his own heart. "I'll give you what you so desperately want. A world without mutants._ Without_ the X-Men." The force was showing him as he spoke.

"S-Scott... What are you _saying_?" Kitty screamed, Logan ushering him behind him.

"Sounds like he's gonna kill us to do the Avengers a favor..." A glare from Piotr silenced the ice mutant.

"What we needed to say a long time ago." Jean reaches out to touch him but he burns her hand.

_"Scott-"_

"Please. Don't do anything you're gonna regret." Steve reasoned. "I'm a leader, too. Your actions are gonna affect a lot of people." When the flames rise, Jean shut her eyes in focus until he seemed to calm. "Don't let your _emotions_ get in the way." He almost starts after the broad chested man, but Jean's hand holds him back. They always got away with it. Humans. Avengers. S.H.I.E.L.D. Trask. They never paid for what they did, no more.

"Scott..." It's Rogue's quiet voice. He looks back at his friends and team, staring at him. Staring at his new uniform, one they've never seen before. They need him. He hangs back as Captain America disappears in a chopper, the sentinels remaining. Staring at them.

"Come," Ororo placed a hand on Jean's shoulder. "There is nothing that we may do, now..." She can't bring herself to look at the massive machines. Ones that have nearly killed her and everyone she cared about so many times. Logan followed suit with herding others inside, Rogue and Remy hanging back as he smoked a cigarette, troubled stare on the robots.

"No, Storm. There's a lot we can do."

* * *

"Did... The Phoenix. Did it..._ Speak_ to you, is it different for me?" Jean can't bring herself to look at her fiancé's face. He didn't sound wrong or incensed or crazy, but Jean had saved an entire spaceship full of people before she lost control. And, lose control he will. She knows it's as inevitable as the flames. Seductive. Entrancing. She's felt it all. Seconds were years. Lifetimes of her soul being rendered immobile by time itself. She knew exactly what he meant.

She stared at him, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of steaming tea placed in her hands by Logan. The Phoenix force sang to her, all the time. She sang of death, blood, and fire, and darkness. A cleansing by fire of all the ones who had crossed her. She knew what Scott was feeling. It was everything he wanted, wrapped up in a hellish bow.

"It's... The power of life and death, isn't it?" Jean tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "The power to remake, build... It's showing you everything you and the professor have wanted, for all of us." She looks at him with piercing, emerald eyes. "It has a price, Scott Summers. As much good as you could achieve, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I promise you." She shut her eyes, solemnly. "There's always a price."

He hears Jean's words, and he believes them. But, the force is showing him beyond those consequences.

"The world has told us all that we are_ less,_ when we've known that we are more." She shut her eyes, wondering if the force enhanced who they were or if it made them this way. Militaristic. Unyielding. The jury. That was the worst part. Jean didn't know where the real her started and ended. And now, she didn't know with Scott. "We can't just sit and take it. Sentinels, spying on our home. On our_ children_, Jean."

"But... That isn't the professor's dream." She watched a tear slip out of his visor as they sat in the piano room.

"I'm starting to think that dream is going to get us killed."

"Don't say that." Jean insists, her temper flaring. "He's done everything for us."

"Charles is the best man I know, but you still know I'm right. Why risk losing any of us, at all..." He pulled her closer to him, even as she pulled. She loved him so much, and she wanted to believe what he said because it was easier. "If the Phoenix can give me a chance to do that, it's a chance I have to take." He stared at the robot on lawn, still standing. "We're running out of time."

_"At least_ talk to him, Scott." He smiled, remembering why he loved her so much. He wiped a tear from her eye with a thumb.

"I will Jean. Everything I share with you, I'm going to share with him. I'm going to protect us all." Jean didn't want to know what that meant.


	7. An Announcement

Rogue half hovered through the hallway in chunky boots, a dark blue x-shirt, and an oversized jacket. She'd been mostly in a fog over the course of the past few days. Everyone had. The professor was locked in his office, conferencing with Hank and Ororo. Scott was acting like nothing was wrong. It was all a bit much for her to deal with, especially when nobody would talk about any of it. She tucked silky hair behind her shoulder, her head deep in thought.

She almost didn't notice a student tugging at the string of her coat as she waited for the elevator. Shoved her hands in the pockets of ripped, dark blue jeans. "Rogue?" She looks down to a small, pink haired mutant standing below her. She's tan skinned and had a face full of freckles.

"What's the matter?" She drawls, stooping to their eye-level.

"Where's Doug?" She questions innocently. Douglas was a mutant who was different than others. He can understand and decode any language, spoken or written. Dead or living. He could help form and _create_ languages that don't exist. Rogue had no idea what someone might need to use him for, but Rogue began to worry. She worried for all the kids. It didn't feel like that long ago she was the victim of being taken, and she had a lot of powers. "Haven't seen him?"

She shakes her head, immediately thinking the worst. "Nah, haven't really seen anyone, today." When she catches Ororo passing by, she pushes the child toward her. "Go with Ms. Munroe, Rogue'll look for him." She assured with a smirk, hiding how uneasy she actually felt.

_'Jean... Professor, Sarah just asked me if Ah'd seen Douglas? Please, tell me you sense him.'_

_'Douglas?'_ Charles shoots back, his heart rate sky rocketing.

_'He's... He's with Scott.'_ Jean admits, reluctantly.

_'With Scott.'_ Rogue says back in confusion. _'What do you m-'_

_'He... Said he had an exploration mission for him...'_ She explained, even her head voice exasperated. '_There was no talking him out of it.'_ Charles sighed.

'_Of course there wasn't. Let Sarah know that he is safe with Scott._' She raked a hand through silver and auburn hair, catching her brother and best friend's eyes across the hall.

_'Safe. Right._' Neither telepath say anything back as she crosses the distance between them. "Apparently Scott took a New Recruit on a _mission?_" Her voice is shrill at how strange it sounds, even to her.

"Oh, you think_ that's crazy_..." Kurt begins, his accent thick with his temper. "Just vait till you hear _this._" Kitty's arms are crossed over her narrow chest.

"He's talking about having some announcement?_ Publicl_y, to any who will listen to him in_ Times Square._ What the heck is he on? I talked to Jean, she looks like she just wants to die." She covered a face with a tiny hand and squealed in frustration. "What's going on? I mean, I get being out of sorts about the sentinels, but..."

"Ah know. He hasn't been the same. Not since..." Rogue doesn't bother saying, turning her head away in contempt. They all knew. Since he took the Phoenix from his fiancé. Kurt rubbed the back of his neck.

"Vhat are ve going to do about this? Seriously..." Kitty squirmed.

"Look, let's at least give him a chance to explain himself and see what he has to say." Rogue suggests, moving around them to go somewhere else. She got flustered whenever she discussed Scott.

"Yeah, what else are we gonna do?" Kitty asked, looking at the blue mutant beside her. It was all out of their hands, now.

* * *

"I understand Scott's been through something, but I don't appreciate him taking a student without talking to anyone else. He plans to do something else without consulting any of us, I guarantee it." Ororo is tucked into her shawl, eyes prying the sky for Scott and their missing student. This was the eye of the storm, and she knew it got much worse. She hadn't forgotten how awful Jean had been at the height of the forces power.

"He's definitely not thinkin' straight." Logan agrees, his stare anchored on the carpet. Jean's tweed pants are are folded, her chin resting on her knees. She's completely exhausted by Scott's awesomeness. He's out of this world, now. She knows how he must've felt. "He took the kid to do something. He has an agenda, as misguided as it is. It goes against everything you've been trying to achieve, Charles. He wants to separate us, like _Magneto._.."

The bald man's hands were steeped on his face. He'd expected this. The Phoenix force was affecting him in a totally different way than Jean. He was organizing. Moving to action. They just have no idea to what, and it terrified him. He had no idea how to tell them that. That there's no telling what he's capable of, especially with a mutant as unique as Cypher._ 'His intentions led him to follow Magneto and evolve himself... His ambition can be too much.'_

"I will speak with them when they return. In a non-accusing way, of course. I too want to get to the bottom of this. I..." He stared at an untouched cup of tea on his desk. "I want to sleep at night, again."

"Don't we all, Charles." Hank answers with a grimace. "For now, we must..." A bright light stole their attention, multiple bodies fleeing to the school's lawn.

"Oh, no..." Logan ran through the doorway as Jean followed, both Ororo and Hank standing in shot.

"I'll investigate, Charles you stay here until we know it's safe." Ororo rose to the air without waiting for an answer. Outside, a shining portal glowed in the air. It showed pink and purple and orange skies, trees with blue and pink leaves. A utopia, behind him. Rogue had ran out to the field ready to fight, but she's looking inside in wonder. '_H-How is...' _

A halo of shimmering, flaming branches opened as Scott and the blonde haired child emerged, smiling. Waving. Jean exhales, glad to see them both unharmed. They walked through, hand in hand. "I'm sorry everyone." Scott says, looking at his confused friends' faces. "We're back. And, we have a lot to tell you."

_'Scott, please. Let us talk...'_

_'We will all talk, professor. Together.'_

Kitty starts to scream when one of sentinels awakens, it's eyes glowing a fierce red. _"Mutant power level, detected."_ It boomed, shaking the grounds beneath their feet. It was a sickening sense of Deja Vu.

"One of those things just_ finally_ figured out how strong Scott is," Logan complained, watching as the second machine woke up. He shot his claws out with a snarl, dark eyes darting around the lawn. Douglas ran into Ororo's arms and she ushered him and the other children away from the commotion. The last thing they needed was for it to target inside.

"Colossus, take them down._ Now!_" The Russian mutant obeyed, herding the smaller children away.

_"Targets, acquired._" Scott turned, his face impassive.

"Whoever's watching in, listening. Stop this." He called out, his suit changing again. Black and red with a hood covering his head. "We haven't done anything wrong. Threatening." Rogue and Jean stared.

_"Surrender, final warning."_

His hands began to glow with flames, but Rogue flew forward first. "Rogue," Logan called after her, grabbing Bobby and pulling him out of the way of a laser. "Everyone,_ on your guard!_" Rogue's busy taking a swing and pulling one of the machine's limbs to pull it off balance. Kurt teleported with Kitty on his back, Jean flying overhead with Ororo. Anything to keep Scott from getting involved.

Clouds beckoned, and thunder crashed as lightning struck one of the sentinels trying to target Logan. He was ducking and rolling across the lawn like a Tasmanian devil. Metal tentacles emerged from another and wrapped themselves around Rogue's wrists while she flew. Shrieking, she flipped the machine over her head and it dug throughout the lawn. Scott watched in horror as the school's front door erupted into battle.

"No, everyone!" One of the robots was pushing Ororo back in the air, even with Jean's help. Rogue flies her brother out of danger, but when she sets him down, a sentinel smacks her back into the institute. The other grabs Jean with a massive fist, his teammates screaming. Kitty phases the foot of one into the ground, but it upturns the earth. Scott watches with flames and everything freezes. Jean turned back, still in the sentinel's hand.

"Scott, no." She pants, feeling the pressure rise at it gripped her tighter. She struggled to see through wild, red hair. "They are tracking our energy signatures here... They'll just come!" She watches in shock as the sentinel releases her, Scott's hand raised. She floated to the ground as Logan and Piotr help Rogue stand, Gambit floating down from a second floor balcony.

He lands beside Rogue with cards in his hands, glowing bright pink. He hasn't seen, himself. But, he's heard from different people what's going on with Scott. The madness lingering inside him, the same way the telepath's blackouts have been. Scott raises his hands as they begin to glow, his teammates beginning to scream.

_"Scott!_" Kitty screams.

_'Scott, wait a minute!_' But, he smiles when he sees news helicopters appearing in the sky._ 'This is exactly what I want, professor. For people to understand.'_ He turned back to his team, cowering. Children lined up inside, watching despite being told to hide. '_They don't want to hide, anymore. They shouldn't have to._'

_'Scott!'_ He waved a hand and parts of the sentinels disappeared, the robots falling to the ground in pieces. Hank covers his face in shock.

"Oh my stars and garters..." Watching the piles of malfunctioning technology littering the lawn.

"No more. You sat them on _our lawn_, and like we said they attacked us for _no_ reason. We are begging for peace, but you're bringing war to our doors." Cameramen leaned out of the helicopters' doors to get footage of the elusive school, and the mutants that all of Bayville knew resided there. Rogue looked up beside Jean, wondering what they could possibly be saying on the live feed.

"Scott..." Jean tries. "It's _over,_ now. We can talk to the professor and Logan about how to deal with S.H.I.E.L.D." She placed a hand on his face, but he wouldn't look at her. He was staring at the remains of the sentinels.

"You need to understand _my_ power." Scott says, grudgingly removing Jean's hand. "That, though I don't use it against you... If I remove them, they'll be missed." He raised a hand and Storm's rain ceased. They were in the midst of fall near upstate New York, but everyone gasped as the temperature began to rise. The sky began to glow, the trees were covered in bright green leaves as the sun sweltered. "Mutants are_ no longer_ confined to the same limitations as you are. I have found us a land. A home."

_"There you have it, despite being mid November the weather as changed to that of mid summer. It's scorching, out here. And, it all appears to be because of that mutant, right there..."_ An anchor reported above them.

"Scott, whole species of animal and fauna are going to die! You can't just... You can't just..." Kitty tries, but it's clear he's not listening.

"I won't let us be lambs to your slaughter. Not anymore. I have finally found a place where we can exist, no. Thrive. And, all who want to come, hopefully my whole family, will join me in paradise. To_ my_ utopia." He held his arms wide, a flaming bird raising behind him as Jean hung her head. "But, we will not be judged in the realm of humans."

_'No, Scott. This is not the way.'_

_'For your dream, maybe. I want us to be able to exist together. But, the force is shown me it isn't possible. Not without losing many, too many along the way. I can't let that happen... Not if I can help it.'_ Charles' head is in his hands in his office. Scott was making a huge mistake.

_'You don't know what you're doing.'_

_'Yes. I do. Protecting us.'_

_'Scott-'_

_'This is for you, and your dream. More than you want us to co-habitate, you want your people to thrive.'_ Flames flashed in Scott's eyes_. 'And, they will.'_

"Let what remains of the sentinels be a warning for those who'd cross us. Mutants, those of you that want to come to Utopia. Come. All of you. Humans, you made a choice. With or without us..." He looks at Hank, examining Rogue's arm. Bobby holding his head. "You chose_ without_. Buckle up. Humans, it's going to be a long summer."

They watched him disappear in a flash of flames. Not sure what else to do, Jean dropped her face into her hands with a sob as Logan drifted to her side. Kurt and Piotr dropped their heads as she cried, so overwhelmed with the past few days and her inability to help any of it. They watched more helicopters fly overhead and hover indecisively, seemingly unsure of what to do next.

"G-Give him a chance, you guys. It's Scott." Rogue says half-heartedly, studying the sun overhead. "He's... He's talkin' about protecting us from sentinels camping out here, indefinitely." Rogue tried to look positive, but she looked terrified. Kitty shook her head, standing beside Jean with a frown. She rubbed her back as soothingly as she could, knowing that they did not need a freakout with her powers.

"He's talking about taking us somewhere, _separate_ from humans! Do you hear him? That's giving up on everything the professor's taught us, that we _fought_ for. Gave everything for! He's losing sight of all of it. Our own world? Do we even have to wonder how this ends?" Rogue folds her arms, angrily. Feel what you want about him, he was Charles' first X-Men and their leader since she was a child.

"If Scott _leaves_ from here, the X-Men are over or he's takin' them_ with him_!" She snapped, stomping through the grass towards the school. Logan growled, but Remy moved to stop her. He grabs her wrist, lightly, and she looks like she might scream. She didn't need this, not in front of everyone.

"Know ya care about him," He says, his expression dim. "But, y'_gott_a let him go. He not makin' de right decisions-"

"Is_ that_ what you think this is about? My crush? Y_'jealous_?" He steels his face, and Rogue sees his internal dialogue behind his eyes. Why was she like this? Always taking jabs at him when he's in her corner? Was it worth it? Even if she fell for him today, he couldn't touch her. Kiss her. Hold her the way he'd been longing to in New Orleans. Smelling her scent, pressed against her. Fighting together.

Will he even be interested when he starts breaking her walls down, for real? He doesn't know. She confuses and infuriates him, and maybe that's part pf the magic. "This ain't_ about_ me and him. There _is_ no me and him. But, he recruited me to the X-Men when Ah had_ no one_. Taught me how to be a part of a team, everything Ah do now, Ah owe him. He's my leader, he's supposed to be who we all follow."

"What about Charles?" Logan interjects seriously, anchored at Jean's side. She doesn't raise her eyes to him.

"We'd all do_ everythin'_ for Charles. But, it isn't his orders we're taking in life or death situations. Out on missions, with people's lives dependin' on us! And..." Her face darkened as Kurt came by her side. "He's... He's not wrong. About losin'. Losin' things, people. Ah saw things, too. Through Apocalypse, or whatever. If we keep fighting for people that don't believe in us, that's what's going to happen." Kitty covered face, in awe of what she was hearing.

_"Chére_..." Remy tries, but Jean wipes at her face.

"Don't lose hope," She says, staring at her white bangs. "In the professor. In yourself. In what we've already achieved, and _can_ achieve. Together. This way..." She hugged herself when Rogue turned and tore from Remy's side. She disappeared in doors as everyone else studying the choppers flying above them.

"Damn mess." Logan says, running a hand through his hair. "Just like we knew it'd be." Wiping her face with her arm, Jean hovered to the air.

"I have to... I have to try and talk some sense into him." She says, but she doesn't seem optimistic.

"I... Don't know if you can." Kurt says reluctantly.

"I know, Kurt." She disappeared in a flash.

* * *

Rogue's walk leads her down near the Danger Room, grateful that nobody's followed. Angry, frustrated tears well in her eyes as she realized she at the impromptu cell for the psychic. The blonde lady, wearing musty, white clothes. She was no longer a petrified figure, cowering in fear of Jean's rage. She looked pissed, angry lines worming their way into her forehead as she glared at Rogue. White faced and surprised.

_"Skunk,_" She begins, smirking at the ruffled look on her face. "What do I have to do for some food or some chardonnay? This has to be an Osha violation..."

"Shut up!" Rogue snaps, her eyes practically bulging out of her head. _"You..._" The memories flood her in rapid succession, and Emma smiles. She's lived a charmed life, one always filled with money, access, and worship for her abilities instead of being ostracized. Rogue clutches her head as a tear leaks out of her eye. Nobody thought to fit an inhibitor collar around her neck as a statue.

She grins evilly as Rogue works to overcome her memories. "I don't _think so_." She plunges into the girl's mind quickly, scrolling through her massive collection of psyches. _'Tsk... Someone should really make some room in here...'_ Rogue screeched, at least alerting someone's attention.

"NO... Get out, get outtah my _HEAD_!" She screamed, raising in the air.

"Aw, but what fun would that be? Here, I think this would be a lot better." She says, settling for the carbon copy of the Juggernaut in her head.

"Stripe? You down here, you alright?" She's hunched over on the floor, fighting Cain Marko's murderous impulses to the best of her abilities. "Let's talk, about earlier." He called down the steps, hurrying his pace when he smells the disturbance.

"N-No, Logan DON'T-" His claws are out now as he races deeper into the basement. Emma only smirks.

"You, break me out. Now." She raises hand and Rogue obeys, smashing the glass with enhanced strength. _'Chuck, Rogue's compromised. I think it's that telepath!'_

_'Kurt is getting me to Cerebro, Jean will be down there!'_ Rogue's crying hysterically, hitting her head as Emma saunters out of her makeshift cell. All the professor's brother wants to do is destroy. Maim. Kill.

_'No... No... Can't let it, can't let it take me over!'_

"I was hoping you would stumble down here, you are a ticking time bomb waiting to be used against your friends." Rogue peeled her glove off with great effort and waved a hand towards the white clad mutant, struggling to touch her. _'Ah must... Ah have to...'_ Emma twisted a hand and Rogue screamed, her arm twisting awkwardly behind her own back. "Ah, ah. _Tsk tsk._ Now, go. Attack." Rogue turned when Logan appeared, his stomach falling past his feet.

_"YOU CAN'T STOP ME,"_ Rogue bellowed, grabbing a row of lockers and tossing them at her teammate.

"Forgive her, she's feeling a bit like Cain, today." Emma gloats, watching her run forward at full speed into him. She trucks him with her shoulder and he goes through a window, shooting to his feet as cuts heal. _'Damn it, this bad.' _

"Rogue, fight it! Need you on our side, right now!" Her steps slow, but the Juggernaut's violent impulses are too strong. It brings up how much space in the girl's mind that he occupies from previous fights.

"No, Ah don't want to..."

"Fight it, Rogue! You_ have_ to!" Emma chuckles as Rogue cries out, desperate to keep herself under control.

"She's gonna beat you and everyone else here to a bloody pulp, you realize that? He occupies more of her mind than her _own_ psyche." She folds her arms as footsteps thunder overhead. "You should've let Jean kill me." She smiles at him, wickedly as he realizes how screwed they are. Logan climbs back into the room with a smirk.

"Oh darlin', that can be _arranged_." He assured. The red headed telepath appeared in the doorway, her blood rising when she sees the other psychic standing there. _Smiling._ In her home. _'I knew this would happen, I knew!_' Both of their hands raise, and Logan ducks. Emma billows in a white light as Jean's forehead glows pink._ 'I'll show you...'_ Scott appears in another second.

Emma is instantly brought to her knees, tears dripping makeup down her cheeks. "No..._ How, can he..."_ He reached a glowing hand out and touched Rogue's shoulder, instantly calming the psyches raging in her mind. With a whimper, she fell to her hands and knees and just panted. Not even the professor had calmed one of her blackouts like that, and he wasn't even a telepath.

_'What's... How...'_ She looked up, Scott glowing with a faint light.

"Shame, Emma. Opportunities keep producing themselves, but you can't seem to change." Jean and Logan watch as an inhibitor collar floats over to the woman on the floor. "We'll have to figure out what to do with imprisoned mutants in the future. For now," He pushes her back in the locked Danger Room. "Back you go." He stoops down with a smile. "Rogue, are you_ alrigh_t?" Kitty, Kurt, and Remy had collected themselves at the end of the hallway.

Jean just holds herself as he stands, back to her. "Scott, can we_ talk?_" Kurt moved to help Rogue up and helped clear the space along with everyone. He turned to face her with a grin.

"Of course."


	8. A Choice

Jean can't help but be unnerved by her fiancé's smile. It wasn't warm. So like it used to be. It was more Phoenix than him, she knew how the force filled you like a cup. Wrapped around you like a warm hug, and slowly replaced you. She tried not to flinch when he moved towards her, reaching for her hands. "What_ is_ it? What's wrong?" She wouldn't meet his stare.

"Scott... I, what were you _thinking_? Taking a young student... God knows where you were. I know how powerful you are, the_ Phoenix force_ is." His smile didn't falter when her forehead wrinkled. "That much power, the government, S.H.I.E.L.D, the Avengers... They _will_ sense it. And, they will come for all of us." A chill runs down her spine when his smile widened. She slowly pulled her hands back.

"I know that, Jean. That's why the professor's dream... Staying here..." She shook her head. "That's why we _have_ to leave. For exactly those reasons. Douglas, Douglas is help making that possible. And, so is the Phoenix."

"No, Scott." He pulled away from her and turned, flames rising off of him. "You're look at this all wrong."

"You know that when I tell everyone about this... There will be those that want to come." He turned back to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her contemplate that truth. "Don't throw your life away for something that we will die_, over and over again_, trying to achieve. You know, in your heart that humans will never love us. Accept us." She squirmed from his touch in shame. Even if she felt that, she couldn't say it, now. "The Phoenix _saw_ it."

"We have to keep believing, Scott..." She tucked her arms in the drapey, cream colored blouse she was wearing. "Our hope is the _only_ thing getting us through these times."

"That's just it." He tipped her chin to look at him. "What I'm talking about _is_ hope. No more hiding in the sewers, hiding behind the walls of the Danger Room. We can have our own place to thrive. The Phoenix is giving us that." She yanks away, again. Her hand covered her eyes. How had he come so far outside of himself? She almost wanted to believe he could do what she could not, temper that flaming power she knew was always coming for her.

"Scott... Where do you think this magical, sequestered place_ came from?_" She met his eyes, even behind his visor. Hard. "It's a leftover planet the Phoenix force drained dead. Billions of screams, all over the cosmos because of that _thing_ inside of you. No matter what the Phoenix builds," A tear slipped out of her eye. "It _all_ burns down. You have to believe me."

Scott only dropped his gaze. "I expected you to be scared, a lot of you to be. But, don't worry. You'll see it all, soon." He moved to address the others when she grabbed his wrist.

"If you love me, please._ Don't do this_. At least wait, until you're more yourself." She reached up to his face, but he covered her hand with his own before turning away.

"This is... What I have to do. I know you'll make the right choice." Her makeup running down her face, she watched him disappear.

* * *

"Professor Xavier, I want you and _everyone else_ to understand something." The whole school, X-Men, New Recruits, students and faculty all covered the institute's lawn. Jean was noticeably absent, but Charles was front and center as Scott finally revealed his mysterious portals and where he's been. "When you told me what your school and the X-Men were about, you told me it was seeing your people_ thrive."_

Ororo stands stone faced beside him with a hand on his shoulder. Logan's back is turned to the mess, knowing if he looked in Scott's face he'd probably want to stab him. Instead, he's studying Kitty as she watches the ground. Rogue beside Gambit, shrouded in a dark green hood and long gloves. Like a runaway. Her brother watching behind her. He'd never seen the team look so splintered, before.

"Now, I'm able to give it to you. Give us a world. A Utopia worthy of us to live. Grow. Expand, however we want to. A peaceful place. No more fighting wars that mutants will lose, either way." Logan clutches a fist tightly when Rogue drops her head. "We make our own life where they'll_ be_ no wars."

"Oh yeah," The barrel chested man says as he turns arounds. "Stroll off to a new land and you're _sure_ they'll be no wars. You're talkin' out of your ass, Scott. I know this look. You're high off that stuff inside you. Just admit it." He becomes angrier when Scott smiles.

"I expected you to say that." He says, warmly. "Meeting things you can't understand with skepticism. I get it. I didn't really understand at first, either."

"Scott," Ororo tries with shut eyes. "What if another Apocalypse level event happens_ here_ and the team is split up or gone? How could we just..." He hovered, stone faced.

"Simple. It wouldn't be our problem." He answered with a shrug.

"Scott..." Charles sighs, shaking his head. "You are being too pessimistic."

"No, professor. You're hiding from the inevitably of it." Scott declared. "And, I don't blame you."

"How can _you_ be so sure." His mentor asks, a hopeful smile on his face. "I believe we are capable of much more. Here._ Together."_

"Yes," Ororo joins in as the children begin talking amongst themselves. "I agree. That's why we are here."

"We shouldn't have to pay for that with_ our_ blood." A few more whispers and even agreements. "How many of you are scared? For your own futures, or the futures of people you care about? How about tomorrow, in general? In fear of who and what _we_ are." A few hands even raised. "What they _see_ us as. We shouldn't have to live like that, protecting people _we need_ to be protected from. Maybe, we can find other uses for our powers besides a constant fight. We can live in a state we were meant to be."

"What were you doing with Douglas?" Jean was standing at the porch doors, arms folded. The small, blonde boy came forward.

"It's okay, Ms. Grey. Mr. Summers took me to a different land, a land that_ lives_. And... Since I can decode any language, I communicated with it. Learned about it. I-It's lonely, Ms. Grey. It... Misses having a people." She says nothing as she studies Logan's face, then her fiancé's.

"It is the perfect place for us to go, give the humans what they want_. Earth._"

"None of you can want to do this,_ right_?" Kitty cuts in, looking around frantically. "I mean,_ really._ This isn't what we were taught. This, right here is our home, Scott. Why would you just leave it?" She turned back to the mansion behind them.

"Aren't you _tired_ of fightin', Ktty?" Her former roommate is staring forward. She sees what Scott means.

_"Vhat_?" Kurt rears back in surprise at his sibling. "Vait, vhat do you mean?"

"I can't believe _you_ of all people is sayin' that." Logan shakes his head in disappointment. He was worried about her, specifically, falling for Scott's fanatical snake oil. God knows Jean loved him, but she wouldn't follow him into the sun.

"Ah'm just bein' honest." Remy hung his head, fingers digging into his deck of cards. "We've saved the world more times than Ah can count. And, it_ still_ feels like they're about to rule us three fifths of a person, any minute. It's exhausting. Ah... Can't _do it_, anymore." She feels foolish when her lip trembles, when Remy sidles closer to her.

"I _know_ it is hard," Charles says, his head lowered guiltily. "_Especially_ for you. But, you are not alone, Rogue. We are a family, and we always have each other." He turned to Scott. "If you do this, then we won't. We will _always_ be separated, Scott." Tears welled in the Phoenix Avatar's eyes. "This isn't the way, even if it seems like it. Scott, please. Do not_ divide_ us."

"Not if we all go." Ororo flew forward with her hands clasped. "We can make this pilgrimage. _Together._"

"Please, Scott. You'll break his heart."

"Don't do this." Logan growled.

"I understand some of you feel you _owe it_ to something to stay here, where we are not wanted, and I respect that." Scott says with a heavy sigh. "But, if you don't... I implore you to come with me. Try living a different life. All mutant can come and go as they please." Logan and Ororo watched around them as children and teammates spoke.

"I don't vant to leave..." Kurt murmured to himself. "But, I do vant peace. And, I don't know if ve'll ever get it here." He fidgeted, nervously.

"This is where we_ belong_, Kurt." Kitty argued, angry tears in her eyes as Rogue avoided her stare. "We. Are. Home."

"What about the _Morlocks?_" Rogue asked, her arms tucked in. "Bet_ they'd_ want to live above ground. Without fear." She looked away when Gambit faced her.

"Please,_ chére_. Don't follow him, not dere." Remy can't think of what he'll do if she follows him through a portal. Across space and time. He would certainly leave the mansion, that's for sure. He's not sure if it's love or what, but he sees it in her eyes. She's going to go after him. Her loyalty or a debt she feels she owes, but she's already made up her mind that she won't stay. His grip on her wrist, tightens. "_Rogue..."_

"Ah'm _tired_, Remy. Ah gotta be honest." He braced her shoulders while Logan folded his arms. This wasn't how he trained her.

"Remy know you are, anyone would be. You de girl dat save de world. You know better den_ anyone_ how needed we are." She hung her head.

"Haven't we... Haven't _Ah_ done enough?" He watches in shock as she walks past Jean under Scott. Kitty gasps when Illyana moves, a mild mannered and shy sibling of Piotr's. A girl who controlled temperatures, and even Rahne all moved to leave with Scott. "Hasn't Apocalypse shown us how dangerous Ah am, _anyways?"_

_"Stop this." _Logan demands, the look on his face shattered.

"Please, everyone..." Jean can't believe what she's seeing or that the professor is watching it. Sighing, Amara and Roberto moved too.

"You _guys!_" Bobby cries in disbelief. Jubilee moves to chase after them, but Logan stops her.

"B-But, _Logan_-"

"Gotta let 'em choose, darlin'." He says, pulling her tight in a hug when she starts to cry. "Even if it_ hurts._" His stare is anchored on Rogue, her face like glass but tears streaking down her cheeks. Kurt was still trying to plead with her.

"You.. You can't just_ vant_ to leave, us. Rogue, I know-"

"What makes you so scared to leave, Nightcrawler?" Scott asks from the sky with a frown. "You are by far the most _peaceful_ person I know. You should be the first person there."

"I vant that for_ this_ vorld, brother. So do you, I _know_ you do."

_'This is what happens, Scott. It doesn't matter who you are, the Phoenix force makes you lose perspective. Perspective is what makes us human. This was all more than the professor's dream, it was yours, too.'_ Jean tries to remind him. _'Please, don't forget that.'_

_'My dream is to see you, all of you safe. Happy. Thriving. Everything you're supposed to be. That is my dream, now. And, I want it to be yours.'_

_'It can't be.'_ Though it's killing Jean to say.

_'I know that one day, it can be.'_

"Please, Ororo. Bring me Emma Frost, subdued of course." If she were drinking, she would've spat it out.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me." Kitty erupts from Logan's side. "Really?"

"I want to show her the power of the Phoenix force when used for good." The hairy Canadian mutant rolled his eyes.

"Oh, piss off, Scott. Call yourself _Phoenix Boy_ instead of Cyclops, then. Since you were apparently nothing without it." Logan snarled.

"We don't need any Judas', Scott. She almost made me _smash_ through the institute!" Rogue shivered involuntarily when Scott smiled.

"And, I fixed it. She won't be able to try, anything. She can learn there's more to life than scheming and plotting." Remy shook his head as he took Rogue's hands.

"Please, don't do dis." She looked into sad, red and black eyes.

"You _told me_ you don't feel like ya fit in anywhere, here." She pulled his hands closer to her. "Come _with me,_ Remy. No more fightin'." The cajun released her hands, despite it taking a lot of restraint. He did want to follow her wherever she went, but he loved and cared about her too much to condone a mistake. One as big as this. Scott was on the edge, and soon everything would be out of control.

_"Chére,_ ya tol' me to consider dis place family. Can' leave it, now." Rogue dropped her head as the wind blew between them. "I'm _sorry_, Rogue."

"Me too, Remy. Ah wish Ah hadn't been so difficult." Scott glowed in the air.

"They can always change their minds, they will _always_ be family." He reported grimly. "Jean, professor. Do I have to ask?" The red head looked away, too overcome to speak. She wishes the Phoenix killed her, instead.

"Scott... I am, _we_ are needed, here. This," He looked towards the mansion and those that chose to remain. Kitty, Kurt, Logan, Jubilee, Jean, Bobby, Storm and Gambit among them. "This is our home. We are already here." Scott nodded, stiffly. He looked at the surprising amount of children, Warren, Rogue, Piotr & Illyana, Douglas, Amara, Roberto, and Oya to name some.

"We are going to try something different, professor." The sky lit with flames. "We are going to _thrive."_ His face can't help but fall when he seems to remember Jean isn't coming. "Goodbye, Jean. You rip my heart out." She wiped at her face.

"My heart ripped out when you put that force on yourself." She watched in awe as Scott and the others began to glow. _'No...' _

"Rogue..." Kitty ran forward, watching as they all began to disappear.

"Goodbye, Kitty. Goodbye, Kurt. Sorry, Logan. Sorry, Professor." They all faded into iridescent dust. Then, the yard was dark. Half the school was gone.


	9. A Utopia

Ororo stared out the kitchen window as Logan grumpily tried to fix coffee behind her. He did everything in a short, grumpy fashion now. A week had dragged by since Scott took half the school with him. Left his fiancé. Took Rogue. At first, Logan thought it was her getting back at him for knocking her out. For not valuing her command decisions as an adult, one who's saved the world and his ass. He even snuck through the portal to speak with her. Bring her back home, so Kurt would eat. Kitty would stop crying (at losing her boyfriend, surrogate little sister, _and_ best friend to her former leader).

The girl had been traumatized, she lived with traumatized shadows in her head, he would get her the help she needed at home. With her family. He had to hear for a second time that the she could fight no longer. Wait until she's weaponized, again. Let her powers harm or put others in danger. There, she was none of those things, and it was better for everyone if she stayed gone. She really _believed_ in Scott, no it was not because she loved him.

Logan had been slamming things, since. The mansion (in comparison to before) is far too quiet. Too many faces they all expect to see. Vanished. Some, have crossed over to plead with others and never return. He won't speak of what he saw (terrified he'd only send more over). The sky was every color. Edible fruit grew from the ground. They'd created their own language, a way to amplify their powers. Create their own habitats. Jean and Charles barely left their rooms, despite all his coaxing. Why wouldn't someone leave their broken world?

Ororo rubs a temple when he slams the mug on the counter, again. "I miss them _too_, Logan. I wish they stayed." She stares, disconcerted, at the unused portal hovering on their lawn. She sips the tea Logan grumpily fixed for her, colorful shawl shrugged over.

_"Miss 'em?_ Who misses 'em? They're having a building block gymboree sabbatical over there, we have _real things_ to worry about." He sips the piping hot coffee, but the burn does not help him feel any better. He glares at a newspaper, stories starting to leak about 'reports of large gatherings of power' near the 'mutant school' and 'S.H.I.E.L.D concerned'. The military and government weren't going to sit on Jean's incident, much longer.

"They're going to park more machines in our lawn. Scott's going to be right." Logan sets his coffee down and is behind Ororo, instantly. She drops a tired forehead to her hands.

"Don't think like that, 'Ro. You know we'll figure it out." His brow furrowed. The Morlocks were with Scott, as well. That meant Evan. And, a lot of other students she watched grow, helped care for and rear. "You... You thinkin' about _going_?" She sighed when she sees the haunted look in his eye.

"No. But, I am worried for us, _here.._."

"Don't worry, 'Ro. I got us. We'll get through it. Besides... If we _really_ need them," It would burn his pride, fiercely, but his pride wasn't more important than safety. "Scott's gotta be good for something."

"Scott on your mind, too?" Jean was standing in the doorway in a plain, black dress. Logan dropped his stare, guiltily. He tried hard to censor his feelings about the former X-Man for her sake. She came and stood beside Ororo, her stare anchored outside. "They all feel so far away. I can't sense them, here." She wrapped her arms around herself. '_Scott... Even our link is severed... What are you doing?' _Logan's eyes followed theirs.

"I know, Jeannie."

* * *

"I see. The Hellfire Club was so built on changing, destroying what was already there... The people who have already made up their minds." The blonde telepath looked around at a world that already looked so much like their last. Everything sparkled and shined in the sun, like ice. Given just the smallest sliver of the Phoenix force, and Magik is already capable of so much more. She's creating a world, one that works for them. Full of every biodome imaginable. "But, you could use this power. To create, Emma. To _build_." She watched a flower form in Scott's hand.

Sure, her plan had been to take advantage of his generosity. He still insisted on giving her a chance. Now, she seemed to be drinking what he was serving. It was certainly different than when the psychic had the force, for all her power she only destroyed. Scott really seemed to be doing the impossible; controlling the Phoenix. She looked out at the mutant children, running through lush fields. Filled with flowers she'd never seen.

"This land, you know. It speaks. It's one of the first mutants..." She arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "At least, it can once I expanded it's consciousness with my power. Now, we can communicate. Now, only mutants and human with explicit approval can cross over. We'll have a language, only we can understand. We're going to exclude the old way completely from our lives. And, move_ forward."_

A smile set across perfect teeth. "So, there _is_ a mind in there."

"We don't fit in on earth, now we have a home."

Was this better than her way? It seemed like it. Did she always have to plot and connive? They were among friends, here. "You _might've_ just done it. But... One earth week, I wouldn't get cocky. We will see how this holds up when_ they_ discover what we've done." Emma stroked her chin suggestively. Scott laughed, turning to see his long time friend standing with her arms crossed in a dark trench coat. She tucked silver hair behind her ear and glared as both Scott and Emma studied her green, hooded uniform she'd taken to wearing on Krakoa.

"Wouldn't trust this one, too much. She's in my _head_." He only smiled.

"We all have trust, here." Emma rolled her eyes, the skunk was moonie-eyed for Scott. It's no wonder she followed him, here. Even if it was the better choice.

"He doesn't need protection by _you,_" Emma reminds haughtily, strolling past Scott. "He has the Pheonix force. But, I'll let you go have your daily fix..." Rogue stuck her tongue out as the woman passed by her.

"Don't know what you see in her, Scott." She hasn't forgotten the Juggernaut rampaging in her mind, threatening to crush her loved ones while she watched. And, maybe it was foolish of her to worry for Scott when he's all-powerful. But, he's always found time to worry about her when needles no longer pierce her skin. He was her leader, even over Wolverine. Charles. "She's as Kitty says, '_icky'._" She wonders if her best friend is still angry with her.

She'd always be ready to defend him, regardless of whether he ever needed it.

"I see something in _all mutants_, Rogue. Even our enemies." She felt his eyes pierce her, even behind his visor. And, even as he made her heartbeat faster, she had to know this wasn't the authentic Scott. And, even if her feelings for him lingered like the memories in her head, there was a certain someone else she was thinking about. Conflicted, she hugged herself. "Speaking of which... I'm glad you came."

She forces her nerves away when he stands closer to her. "Thank you for coming, Rogue._ You're_... The only one of the main team, who did." She hadn't done it for his gratitude. She basks in it, anyway. It's been a long time since she felt seen beyond his fiancé. "I respect their decisions, but this meant more than you can ever know." She feels embarrassed as he towers over her, in that strange black and red uniform.

She tucks her hair out of habit. "Ah came because Ah meant what Ah said." She hardens her stare, desperate to believe in something after what's she's seen. "Ah _b_e_lieve_ in what you're doing, just like Ah believed in the professor's dream." She watched him clench a fist, tight. She wanted peace, but she sure missed the rest of her friends who stayed behind.

"I'll make it so you _never_ have to fight again, Rogue. And... I can do something else." She watched with shocked, grey eyes as he raised a glowing hand. The glow escaped his hand and began to surround her._ 'Wha-'_

"Scott, _wait a min_-"

"It's okay. It's... Just enough." She gasped when he pulled her gloves off. "No more fighting. No more fearing, Rogue. You ask haven't you done enough? I say _yes_." Flames burned away his glove, and he reached out to touch her porcelain face. _'W-What?'_ Her first touch was _him._ She used to lay in bed and dream of something like this. Tears filled her eyes. "I'll take the rest of your powers, too... If you ever want me to." They were tied to an extraordinary amount of pain. _'You will never fight, again.'_

"No," She placed her hand over his and slowly lowered it. he was so warm. "Thank you. It's just... It'd be like it never happened. And, it_ did._" Scott nodded, solemnly. She can remember the screaming, the smell of fires and destruction around her. Carol's suffering mattered, even there.

"You're wise, Rogue. And, you're strong. I'm honored that you chose to believe in my future." Rogue stared at marble like hands, free from being covered. _'No more gloves...' _Her breath hitched as she thought about everything that meant.

"Scott, you don't know what y-" He gripped her bare hand, tight.

"I do. And, you _deserve_ it." She doesn't know where to place her eyes when he looks down at her. This was all she wanted, yet all she could think about was Jean.

"Is the Phoenix a lovebird? We've got visitors blasting through the portal." Emma was tapping a white, knee length boot as she waited for someone to intercept the girl. Scott pulled away from Rogue and hovered through the tall grass to see Kitty Pryde standing there, red faced and in her uniform.

"Rogue. _Scott_." Jean couldn't bring herself to come, and neither could Kurt.

_"K-Kitty_..." Rogue tugged at the moss colored tunic under her jacket. She hadn't expected to see her there, and she already knows what she wants.

"Wow, this place is..." The brunette presses her lips together in a grim line. Now, she sees why Logan wouldn't talk about it. It was everything she'd imagine it'd be. Beautiful. Majestic. Peaceful. The temperature was perfect, the air clear. Everything home wasn't. "Wow."

"Should Ah get Piotr?" The silver hair girl asked, eyes pointed at the ground. Kitty shakes her head. "He came to be with Illyana, Kit-"

"No... _Please_." She eyes Rogue's pale hands and her lack of her color. She sees a slight glint in her eye and understands. "We need help. Someone was spying, someone realizes we're split up." Rogue's face goes even whiter. "The Marauders... They're wreaking havoc. in Bayville. We're... We're just short handed." She didn't even see anyone else she'd been missing. Just Rogue, Scott, and Emma. _'Where is everyone?'_

"I'm sorry that's happening. Those of the Marauders that are mutants should come here. A few jaunts of my power would keep them straight and peaceful. Out of your hair, all the same." Kitty eyed Scott weirdly as he spoke. Like her red headed friend said, the force was going to his head. She could see it in the way he stood. "I can still sense that things still aren't easy there."

"Do you think you could... Spare some people? Who'd be willing to come, _of course_." She was trying to be sensitive of Rogue's retirement. She had a lot of powers that were helpful. Scott looked around.

"I'm sorry, Kitty. But, I don't think that's anyone." Her mouth dropped. Even Rogue turned to Scott in shock.

"What, Ah mea-"

"You, and most others here came to flee conflict. To be _safe_ and be able to grow, Kitty. What we're creating is making dreams come true." Scott tried to explain, flames glittering around him. He didn't mean that this was bigger than his old life, but he was simply needed. And, his mission statement was to lose no more. He could not take away the power of choice, but he would protect those that made it at all costs. And, earth just didn't seem safe.

"Oh, so you can't sacrifice a few moments of _peace_ to help your old team out?" She placed her hands haughtily on her hips. She was fed up with Scott's New Age rhetoric.

"T-That's not what he means, at all. _Right,_ Scott?" Rogue frowned when he crossed his arms. "Scott?"

"We don't believe in war, here. I'm sorry Kitty."

"Really, Scott." She looked between the two in a growing rage. "You don't_ believ_e in it, anymore?" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "What a privileged position."

"I will not fight unless one of us is taken, or if someone unwelcome breaches our walls. We cannot go and join the conflict. And, those that came here_ aren't_ on the X-Men's beck and call. They are stationed, here." Rogue's brow furrowed. No, she didn't want to fight. Didn't mean she wouldn't to help her friends. Whatever Kitty was talking about didn't sound good.

"Hang on, Scott. Our friends at the institute could need our help." Rogue reminded him, tersely. He was rubbing his chin.

"Our family should come here._ Home._ Where_ we_ belong." Kitty gave a frustrated growl. Scott's tune still hadn't changed.

"Not this, again. Rogue, this is serious. Are any of you going to help, or not?" She couldn't believe how detached they were already becoming. "Y'know, you may live here. _Now_. But, you lived your _whole_ lives, somewhere else. A place that needs help!" Nobody besides Rogue seemed to care about Kitty's words.

"Well, how do you expect them to want to return if you_ annoy_ them, now?" Emma asked, her arms folded behind Scott. Rogue scoffed as she stepped forward.

"Christ. Ah'll come. Don't all trip over yourselves..." But, when she went to hover forward, Scott held her back.

"You just cried to me that you didn't want to fight. Not, anymore. I'm not gonna let you throw yourself into a war that isn't yours. Rogue, that's _not_ your home. This is. You said that you _believed._" Rogue felt the tiny crumb of Phoenix force pulse within her, flames reflecting in her eyes. It danced like a song, within her.

"Ah_ do_ believe, but..." She turned to her old roommate. Her best friend. The first friend she really made at the school. She could need help with her homework, and Rogue would come. "They _need_ us."

"No, they _think_ they need to answer for human's mistakes. You don't, that's why you're here." Scott raised his hands and everything began to shine with a bright light. "You are a part of Krakoa. A part of the Phoenix. A part of that which you call home. Your _only_ job is to stay, to keep Krakoa from weeping." Kitty looked around her as mutants crept out of the woodwork, even Piotr. She turned and shook her head.

"You know, it's_ fine._ Logan said this would happen." Rogue watched regretfully as Kitty crossed back through to the institute.

"Scott,_ wait-"_

"You said it yourself." Rogue looked at gloveless hands. "All that happens over there is fighting. This is for the better, I promised I would take better care of all of you."

This didn't feel like what she wanted.


	10. A Lie

"We need _Oya._" Logan strategized bitterly, thinking about the sweet, mocha skinned mutant who'd left to Utopia. Like lots of other young kids who disappeared. "Her temperature manipulation would come in_ real_ handy with the amount of enemies we're dealing with." Laura was anchored by his side, watching silently as he spoke to a half empty conference room. His eyes widened when Kitty strolled into he room, noticeably alone. _'Nobody, not even...'_

He'd expected Rogue to come and at least help out. Frustrated tears were welling in the short girl's eyes, but she refused to cry. She'd cried enough for those who no longer wanted their home. "No one." Ororo ventures from beside Logan, her face falling to the floor. Jean lowered her head into her hands.

"No, Scott like... Wouldn't _allow_ them. He's on some crazy, cult speak over there. It's gotten worse." She clutched small fists tightly when Kurt's face falls. "Rogue wanted to, she was going to. But, he like, guilt tripped her into staying." She chewed her lip, wondering if anyone else needed worse news. "I dunno, anymore."

"Great. He's brainwashin'." Logan can barely contain his rage.

"What else, Kitty. There's... Something else." Jean stands and folds her arms, feeling that all of this was her fault._ 'I should've just let it destroy me... Why did I fight?'_

"I... Think," She burned under Ororo and Logan's stares. "I saw something. I saw_ others_ in the distance... Shining, like Scott does. With flames."

_"Others?_" Logan bit out.

"Rogue wasn't wearing gloves. I... Think he gave her power to give her touch." Jean forced herself to steady when all the air sucked out of the room. She made the choice she couldn't bare to, did that mean everything they'd been through no longer mattered? Did he do it for her, or for _him_? To manipulate her into staying? Or to be with her... She groans in her hand as the thoughts assault her.

"Oh now, god... Scott can't see himself, that what he's doing is out of control. The Phoenix force has him feeling like he's making decisions he has to make, now... He's splintering the force and sharing with others. Any one else could lose control, like I did. It's really a wonder he hasn't."

_"Hasn't he,_ he's divided us to create his own world! In his image!" Logan exclaimed. "This became out of hand once that _solar flare_ hit our atmosphere." Jean sighed. "It ain't your fault, though. Jean."

"Yes..."

"They're not coming. They either agree or they're all as freaked out by Scott as we are. We have to make due." Kitty says, her brow furrowed.

"Rogue vill come..." Kurt says after a moment, noticeably quiet since his sibling didn't return. "She's... Probably trying to appeal to Scott, now. But, even if he von't... I know she vill." Years had passed since she first joined the school, first learned who she was and he relationship to the teleporter. He can respect her need for peace, but he knows she won't abandon them.

"Yes." Ororo says, clutching her hands tight. Her smile is pulled tight.

"I don't know, elf. She's been through things... Things that have changed her, especially if Scott is dangling this dream in front of her." It was too hard to imagine that his only family had forsaken him in the world. Half their friends had. "But, we're still the X-Men. So, this is what we'll do. Gumbo," He too had been quiet, set off to the side. He was not happy to see Rogue's absence, either.

With so many gone, he was one of few adult team members left. "You comin'?" He still didn't speak, but he kicked off the wall in a trench coat that dragged on the ground.

_"Oui."_ Is all he says, Laura falling in line near him.

"Looks like we got the rag-tag group in here on deck." His eyes drift to Jubilee and Bobby, then Ororo, Kitty, and Kurt. He pulls a cigarette from his pocket and tries not to think about all those missing. "Looks like we'll have to make due."

* * *

"Ah want to speak to Krakoa,_ with_." Rogue corrected. Mutants and her former teammates had gathered around as she talked with Scott. He glimmered with flames, stroking a chin as he often did. "Ah know this is my home. Ah can... Make it understand, it doesn't have to weep if Ah go. Ah'll be back. It's okay." She again, feels unnerved when he smiles her. It was so unnatural and unlike him, she would know.

_"Me and Ms. Popularity, over there? We're worlds apart. Galaxies. But, then I realized something..." Scott tilted his head and studied his pale teammate. She's not one to be fussed over, but Charles made it clear just how much she risked to save Jean. _

_"What?" _

_"That... She'd do the same for me." She feels her heart transform into a butterfly when he smiles at her, so relieved for Jean's safety. Her's too, and mostly for her bravery._

_"Believe it, Rogue." Warmth spreads over her shoulder when he places his hand, there. "We all would." His smile is contagious, the only one the prickly goth girl has encountered. _

His smile scared her, now. She used to trust him more than anyone, but in his smile she sees that he can't be trusted. He's only an avatar for the Phoenix, like Jean was. She watches as he holds a hand out. "Come, let's be alone." Rogue rose in the sky as crystalline steps formed in front of them, leading to the clouds. She doesn't know what to think, feeling like she's never been careful what she wished for.

"Rogue you understand how important my vision, is. How... If we're to bring everyone home..." They both looked over a sprawling landscape, one Scott wants filled with all of his friends. Family. All mutants. "We have to stick to our guns, know that there will be no in-between. Mutants and family are welcome, but the portal is to_ bring them home_. To allow mutants' their birthright citizenship. Not for us to run back and forth for affairs that have nothing to do with us-"

"That's _Jean_, back there." It stings her to say, but the telepath has to make him think straight. "Kurt. Kitty. The professor, Ororo. Logan. Our_ family,_ Scott."

"I would give it _all_ to make them stop fighting a war that's not theirs." She sees a tear streak down his face.

"Then let me go help them, so they have a chance to _make_ it here." There was a way to placate her old life and her new one, she'd find it. "Let me speak with Krak-"

"Rogue." His voice chills her. "There _is_ no Krakoa. There is no land that lives, that speaks." Scott Summers had lied, grinning like he was now. He lied to a _child._ "I used my powers to give Douglas a_ purpose,_ a connection to this strange place. So he wouldn't be afraid, so _none of you would be!_" He frowned when tears sprang to her eyes and fear rolled off of her, hot. "You don't _want_ to fight. You don't want to lose," She jumped when he grabbed her arm. "I would do _much more_ to protect all of you. _And, If they ever come for us-_" Flames lit up the sky as Rogue shielded her eyes, the look on his face mad.

"Scott-"

_"I will go over there, and burn it all down to ensure our peace."_ There it was, the madness well concealed as he built this world. The same change Jean underwent was changing him._ "Nothing is going to destroy what we have, what I've done for you..."_ He frowned when tears fell down her face. "_This is what you need. Not someone who will bow to them, someone who can give them all they've wanted!"_

"The Scott _I_ knew would_ never_ lie. _Not about this._" She tried, wincing as the wind picked up around him. She had to get through to him, just like he'd done for Jean so many times. She clutched dark green fabrics as she held his stare. "You're not_ Scott_, you're the Phoeni-" The more she talked, the more scrambled his soul felt. Was he Scott? _Was_ he the Phoenix? Was he doing this for himself or to get back at the professor? The world that'd repeatedly forsaken him? Had he lost control a long time ago? No, this had to be right. It was all he had.

**_"I'm both!"_** He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. Flames swelled around him as he shoved her back onto the ground. "I can be _both-_"

"You _know_ that's not true." Rogue looked up at him through silver hair, feeling the tiny piece of the force pulse inside of her. Even this piece felt like it would swallow her, alive. Scott pulled her up and closer to him, but she squirmed away from his touch. He was so desperate and terrifying, the opposite of the boy who slowly brought her out of her shell.

"Rogue, _stay._ Don't fight. I can't protect you there." Shaking her head, she flew down from the crystal stairs as her teammates watched. "_Rogue!_" He followed after her but it was too late, she'd already returned to the institute.

"Do you want me to go after her? They'd love to see me, _I bet_." Emma offers. He clenched a fist.

"No. We'll let her make her choice. She'll be back." He squinted into the horizon. This was everything they ever wanted, why would they leave? Emma approached him when he lingered at the portal for a while. "Everyone _leaves me_..." It hurts to think that if this was Charles, the whole school would be united. Jean's never needed to justify following him before, she'd do anything for him. The telepath only shakes her head.

"She isn't leaving. She's just got a_ martyr_ complex. A few seconds in her mind showed me that. She has peace, but she'll always fling herself back in their problems. Focus on keeping _them_ from doing the same, especially with unannounced visits. Focus on poaching the vulnerable children from Charles idealism that will get them killed." She was right. He couldn't let his old team get to anyone else. A visit from Logan might catch on that he created the illusion of mutants around Kitty, the majority of them did not know of her visit. And, he almost got to Rogue on his own.

"Right."

* * *

_'If any of you are in mortal danger, if it becomes too much. Please.'_ Charles pleaded into the minds of the school's last string of defense. _'Return. I cannot... Bare anymore losses, anymore failures...'_

_'We won't let you down, professor.'_ Jean turned to Ororo, rising out of the jet and to the air. Her face was like steel, hardened by the absence of those she considered family._ Were_ family.

"This is going to be a dog fight." She says, blue eyes narrowed.

_"Love_ dog fights, 'Ro." Logan says with a bark, his stare anchored on Kitty and Kurt. It felt so wrong to be without the others. "Let's do this, and _remember._" He looked at them all, seriously. Some of them ready, others he wasn't so sure. "Laura and I _heal_. You won't." Jean nodded above him.

"I will keep us shielded from telepathic attack, lord knows there are enough evil telepaths working with Sinister, now. Let's do this." Jean placed her hands on her head and shut her eyes in deep focus. Kitty jumped onto Kurt's back and he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Logan locked eyes with Laura before they both took off into the chaos. The Manhattan bridge was full of abandoned and stalled vehicles as the Marauders raged in the sky, above.

"Clouds, LEND ME STRENGTH!" Ororo screamed, the sky growing dark, instantly. Remy ran under her, more than a little familiar with some of these faces. It'd been a hard couple of months at the institute when his ties to Nathaniel Essex and his criminal crew were discovered. Tears were shed, threats were made, and people threatened to leave.

It was Rogue who stuck up for him, her time with the Brotherhood (however short) haunting her, stained on her mind. He deserved the same redemption arc that Scott fought for her. He knew exactly how lethal and dangerous they all were, and the school could afford to take no more hits. He recognizes a woman who's more robot than human, and he hurls multiple glowing cards at her. Without mercy

Karima rolled out of the way, a fist changed into a gun. "That how you _greet me,_ Rambo?" Logan snarled over head, his claws puncturing Creed's healing flesh. He knew the oaf had gone off to serve someone else. Sinister wouldn't have been his guess, but today is as good as any to destroy his nemesis. They are a hissing, screaming, tornado cutting through the chaos as their own bad blood takes over.

Ororo's lightning is chasing Mystique as she runs surprisingly fast through the pelting rain, gun in hand. _"You will not run forever, Raven." _She'd wanted to do this for a long time. Remy frowned in the air at the green haired kin of Magneto. She was a pleasant girl, but something was inside of her. Making her act unruly and militant.

_"Mongrel_," She begins as he laughs.

"Any way to greet me,_ Lorna_?" He ducks of of the way of a car she throws at him, her body shining with a celadon light. Grunting, she ripped the metal bo staff out of his hands and swung it wildly for him, aiming for his head. He flips out of the way of his weapon and tosses several, heated cards Polaris' way. She smirks when they soar past her, raising a hand.

"Pathetic." He only dipped his head.

_"Was_ it?" She turned just in time to see a billboard explode and crack free, crashing into her to and slamming her into the ground.

Kurt and Kitty phased out of the ground to a blonde, wearing a low-cut shirt with a hand on her head. Her illusions didn't seem to be helping the battle, and she was very good at what she did. The psychic responsible for her father's death was supposed to be there, it was her chance to exact vengeance. She jumped when she saw the X-Men, looking as if they didn't even see her.

_'Perfect, it's working-_' Kurt teleported behind her, trucking his shoulder into her back. Kitty ran forward and she collided with her fist, leaving her collapsed on the ground.

_'One telepath down, Jean.'_

_'Great job, keep it up.'_

Bobby sprayed ice over the fires Pyro had set to cars, much to Mr. Sinister's chagrin as Laura shredded his equipment. The B-Squad was holding their own, but he knew exactly how to change that.

_'Mystique, Polaris. Focus on the bridge.'_ The shapeshifter grabbed a handle from her waist a pressed a button, sounding bombs at the base of the structure.

_'Hey! What is that!'_ Jean cried out in worry, struggling to keep the teams mental shields from being permeated. '_Is everyone okay?_'

_'Damn bomb, they're gonna bring down the bridge.'_

_'WHAT,'_

_'Can't beat us in a fair fight._' Logan points out, working his brain to see where the bombs were located. Screaming, Polaris took to the sky with wild, green hair and raised hands. The bridge began to tremble, and then the metal began to groan. They were all familiar with the phenomena after childhoods battling Magneto. They were in trouble.

"As you can see, we are quite serious about winning one way,_ or another._" Jean cradled her heads with hundreds of thousands of screams erupted on the bridge as people fled their cars. '_Be quiet! Stop it, I can't think!'_ The white skinned mutant smiles when Remy climbs to his feet, searching for a discarded staff. "Ah, _Gambit._ Always a pleasure." The cajun clutched a fist.

Logan stutters on her feet when Polaris begins to sway the bridge. They have minutes before they and hundreds of others are in the ocean. Ororo struggles to use her wind to slow down the shaking. "Everyone, switch to evacuation plans! Get all vulnerables you can to safety!" Logan shouted, watching as Kurt and Multiple ran out to cars, Kitty phasing people through car doors_. "Hurry,_ faster! This thing's gonna give! Bobby,_ grab people_!"

"Jean!" Ororo cries. "The bridge!"

Sweat trails down the redheads brow._ 'I... I don't want to admit, but I'm not as strong as I used to be. As I was when I had the Phoenix. Scott has the power, now. It's up to him._' She watched in horror as parts of the bridge began to crumble away, Polaris covering everything in a green light. _'Scott... I need you, SCOTT!'_

A flash of fire collided with the green mutant and sent her crashing hard into the concrete. Unmoving. Mr. Sinister looks up from beneath wide, dark blue armor to see Rogue. Hovering there. He fixes his mouth to say something, but a sizzling optic blast send him careening into a car, squealing. Rogue looks around her as the bridge shakes, the green woman and a blonde slung over Logan's shoulders.

"Rogue! The bridge!" He cries, his eyes hooked on her face. Even as Kitty and Kurt pulled people from vehicles, they stared at her. Jean flew before her in her black and yellow X-Suit, studying the locks framing her face. Instead of stark white, they were golden and glowing. On her her hands were no gloves. Kitty was right, he'd imbued her with some of the power. The thought of the Phoenix force splintered makes her head spin.

She glowed in a faint light, looking around the insanity around her. Her eyes met Jean, and she saw every word that wasn't said.

"Tell me what to do."


	11. A Return

"It's the bridge. The Marauders bombed it when they didn't get their way, we need to get everyone off. Now." Jean remembers the ease with which she rescued a ship full of astronauts. That was the Phoenix doing the heavy lifting. She'd been hoping to see her fiancé, but she's grateful her teammate showed at all. Scott's mixture with the entity was seductive. Inspiring. She had expected him to take many more with him, that first night.

"Listen..." The fire haired psychic didn't want to know what manner of ways her boyfriend and Rogue had bonded, or linked. Her blood is practically boiling at the passing thought. But, they were on mission. "Whatever_ happened_... Is going on between you and him... Thanks for coming..." She wants to die when she feels the embarrassment roll off her silver haired teammate. Yes, lives were at stake and she was talking about Scott. She doesn't feel very different than that senior, all those years ago.

"Jean." Time seems to stop as she realizes she can't remember the last time Rogue said her name. "Nobody's ever looked at me the way Scott looks when he _thinks_ about you." She felt like a balloon, deflating as she sees the look in her grey eyes. She felt the feelings all those years ago, even if she got over them they never really went away. Did they?

Jean was getting as insecure and petty as she was about Taryn and Scott. "Hey..." She begins, unsure of what's going to follow.

"Red, stripes." Logan called behind them. Jean takes a moment to study the green uniform she's never seen before.

"C'mon. We gotta stop the bridge from tearing in half." Rogue says, hovering off the structure as she followed. Support rods had snapped and some of the metal was twisted from Polaris' attack. Parts of the road were shaking as terrified people tried to clear either side. Rogue's hands begin to glow as Jean grunts beside her, struggling to hold the structure up with her powers, alone.

When it looks semi stable, all the remaining X-Men rush the bridge to help people get to safety. "H-Hurry..." Jean says through clenched teeth. "Even we both can't hold it." She frowns when Rogue shines brighter. There's no sense in not utilizing the power, but it makes her worry. Especially with her powers. She reads the look because she scoffs.

_"Go_, help evacuate." She won't meet green eyes. "Ah can do this," Jean wasn't inclined to let her, but they needed all the help they could get on the bridge. People were dangling off the edge. In just a few micro expressions, the telepath sees the sweat on her brow. The way her lip's twitching, her eyelid, too. She seemed fine but below the surface, a battle was brewing. One Jean was all too familiar with.

Thoughts were hurdling through her mind like an all consuming black hole. Thoughts of death. Decay. Darkness. Flames. A desperateness to avoid that, at all costs. Even this tiny portion of the force was eroding her. God only knows what it was doing on Krakoa, Scott unwittingly building an army for universal conquest. The force was adapting. Jean could destroy, endlessly but Scott is lucid enough to spread the Phoenix's influence, everywhere.

_"Ah said, go._" White hands were starting to shake. She doesn't want to, but it's clear to see her teammates are struggling. Besides, that sliver of the Phoenix is probably able to do more than her powers, right now. She hovers overhead, levitating some very confused civilians as Logan carved pathways through abandoned cars.

"Jean, talk to us. What's goin' on?" He eyed the sky anxiously as Ororo flew, Bobby under her.

"She's gonna buy us time to get people out of here." The skeptical look on his face almost makes her pause. "She's got this." He grabbed a short, crying woman beside him and ran, Laura ripping a family from a car and set them on solid ground. Rogue was working as fast as she could to meld the weakened parts of the bridge, levitating rocks she was rapidly heating and cooling.

Another set of explosions at the other end of the bridge took their attention.

"No! The bombs vere on a timer!" Kurt screams as the bridge rumbles, Kitty stumbling into him. He watched Rogue soar through the air, rushing to keep the incendiary blast from leveling everything around it. Her hands hold up a telekinetic wall that keeps the flames from spreading out and engulfing people above it. It reminds him of being much younger and watching Kitty and Jean try the same thing. Kurt's teleported as many people as he could grab, and they fan out to rescue screaming people.

Logan's got a boy and a girl tucked under his arms, Kitty pulling an elderly woman through a car while they yelled. The blast was expanding and crawling towards the sky, despite the girl's efforts. _"Rogue!"_ Jean shoots to the air to help, but the girl snaps at her like a wild animal. Her eyes are black, her skin ashen. She was not herself.

_"Stay."_ The former Weapon X project recognizes the tone. It's how Jean sounded, raging in the sky with that monster in her. Her eyes start to glow as a million thoughts flow through her. She could save them, or she could destroy it all, now. Humans and mutants are doomed, anyway. She can feel Scott's heartbeat, all the way in another solar system. She sees the thoughts she read in Jean. Blackness. Death. Horror. Drinking it all in like a bottle of wine. Being away and savoring every moment.

She knows what happens when she snuffs the explosion. Why was it so different for her and Jean, than Scott? Are they wild? Unrestrained? His foils? She doesn't know, but she knows if she comes through the other end of this, she isn't going to be herself. She's going to be that _thing,_ and she might be capable of more destruction than either of them. There are carbon copies of a villainous Magneto and _Apocalyps_e lurking within her.

What could the Phoenix 'learn' from her intimate memories and psyches. She can't give it power, not the way Scott has.

_'Rogue?'_ The redhead is channeling Logan up to her. _'We've gotten everyone from that end of the bridge. Let it go, Kurt will grab you.'_

_'Ah'm sorry, for leavin'.'_ She says, the fire beginning to flow around the barrier she's created. The Phoenix force in her loves the way it feels.

_'I'm sorry for ever thinking that regardless of where you went, you wouldn't be there for us. And, if anyone deserves to stop fightin' it's you, kid.'_ She's known better than to hold her breath waiting for the man to say 'I'm sorry' or 'you were right', but it meant everything to hear. She wishes she had time. Time to tell him that he was right, she was believing what she wanted to believe. And, Scott was the man she could believe in. It was not his ego and that force masquerading in a human suit.

A happy tear slides down her face._ 'Take care of Kurt and Kitty, for me. Tell Gambit... Tell Remy, Ah'm so sorry.'_

_'Rogue, wait a minut-'_

_'It's only a little bit... But, it's too much. Ah wish Ah never left,'_ Both Jean and Remy read Logan's abject fear on his face. The red head looks up at the sky as Remy runs to the edge of the bridge.

"ROGUE," He's horrified, refusing to watch her throw her life away for a lot of other peoples' mistakes. "Don't! PLEASE,"

"It's too much for her,_ isn't it_? Her powers..." Jean shut her eyes solemnly. This force was never supposed to be her friends' problem. Not like this.

"Contact Charles and tell him to get to Cerebro. _Now."_ Logan barked in a way her normally never spoke to her. "He's gotta compel her from making a mistake." He didn't condone going in anyone's mind to make them do things, but he would if she was killing herself. They didn't have enough time. Without another word the psychic took to the air, flying fast to hopefully stop Rogue. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do, but she wasn't going to let her die with the force that originally chose her.

_'Me...'_ It probably wouldn't be hard to rip that chunk of the Phoenix from a non-psychic. It was better than Rogue eating the blast, especially if it just flew inside of her after. "Rogue!" The women collide in the air as their shocked teammates can only watch. Rogue's got veins crawling over her skin and a wicked snarl on her face. She's almost too far gone.

Panicking, Ororo shoots the sky with gale force winds and rains beating down as she struggled to stop them. An invisible wall of psychic energy sends her flying, barely into Logan's arms._ 'No!'_ A bright light occludes the horizon as everything flashes. Smoke rises and both of them are gone. After a silent moment, Remy sank to his knees in disbelief.

Laura said nothing as she stood beside him, taking in the scene and scent of destruction. Logan walks right to the edge of the bridge and dives off without a word. He's in the water in seconds, searching for any trace of either Rogue or Jean. He could't find even any tatters of their uniforms. Traces of their hair or scent. Nothing. _'God, no...'_

Kurt stared out into waters, remembering Rogue's face when she left with Scott. "She said... She said if ve kept fighting, ve vere going to lose." Angry tears sprang to his friend's eyes.

"Maybe_ now,_ Scott will see what he's done. If we were all together..." Kitty's arms were stiffened at her sides as the weight of what happened finally descended on her. Rogue was gone. And, so was Jean. "He doesn't lose. He has everything he ever wanted. People following him, like he thinks we follow the professor." She shook her head, wondering when things had come to this. "It's all_. It's all..._"

Ororo floats down to retrieve Logan from the water, but he refused. _"Gotta find 'em,"_ He hissed. They had to exist in some form, living or dead. It was as if they'd just vanished, and he was not going to accept that. Even if he stayed for weeks in that water.

_"Logan..._" He thrashes in the water like a child throwing a tantrum. Not her. Not Rogue, _too._

"No..." A rising sphere of water makes Ororo dash for him, anyway. They rip through the air dripping with moisture as a beam of light explodes from the river. The X-Men crowd the edge of the bridge when a form erupts from the light. For some, the scene is eerily familiar. Kitty gasps and covers her face when Jean comes into view. She's covered in a halo of light, and in her arms is Rogue. She wasn't as far gone as she was the night of the concert, but it is clear she is not _just_ Jean.

"L-_Look_..." Bobby pointed at the sky in mute shock. Remy leans up in his staff as both woman float over. Relieved tears glitter in his eyes after he realizes he thought she was dead.

_"Chére_." She was incapacitated and leaning against the telepath, but she was still there. Still a part of this world.

"She's okay, now." Jean declared, looking down at her teammate with an unreadable expression._ 'It's over.'_ Kurt and Logan dropped beside her, carefully untangling Rogue from her lap. Logan is shedding his gloves, studying Jean's face with wide eyes. "The force isn't her problem, not_ anymore._ She's back to normal." The halo of light surrounding the red head burned his eyes, but Remy can't take his eyes off of her.

When his feet move again, he stoops down and touches Jean like she can't believe she's real. _"You..."_ She only touched his hand in response. She feels the depth and weight of his emotions, knows Scott has felt the same debt to Rogue so many times. For once, he has no words to convey how he feels. Logan wiped a hand over his face before standing, letting the cajun take his place.

He spares a look to Ororo, whose hands were shaking. "What now?" He asks when he finds the strength to speak. Jean's face becomes serious as Remy stands with Rogue in his arms, Kitty and Kurt peering at her.

"Scott won't feel the force, now. I'm suppressing it. He's gonna think she's gone." She stood as Kitty marveled at her. Even the tiny portion changed the way her teammate carried herself. "He'll come." She looks at Rogue's sleeping face. "Then, we have to get through to him." Before the government made a move on them. '_It's our only shot.'_

* * *

_"I don't feel her."_ Emma knew behind his visor his eyes were black. Just like Jean's had been that horrible night. The frosty woman still can't believe that Scott's forgotten what she'd done, but she's grateful. Things had a way of working out for her. She sees when Scott holds his hand up like a claw how angry he is. She's heard what he's said he'd do if they came. If they took one of them.

She loves his iron hand, humans have prospered long enough. "She probably burnt herself out saving them. She's fine-"

"No, I could feel her heartbeat. Her mine. Everyone who shares a piece of the force." He looked down to flames gathering in his hand. Emma is unable to hide her budding jealousy as she crossed her arms. Jean's felt it, Scott, Illyana, Rogue. Why them? "She's gone,_ they_..." He turns a frenzied look towards the portal and imagines what happened to his friend. The oldest one who followed him and believed his vision. '_No... I won't let them...'_ He has the power to revive her. Save her, save her all and punish those who wanted to snuff mutant lives.

Before the white clad woman could stop him, he disappeared in a plume of flames. She stared out at the crystalline landscape, always expanding with Illyana's work. In what felt like seconds, he returned and was walking briskly on air. "Scott, where did you go?"

"Thinking." He answers, not turning to face her. She gasps when he raises a hand and imbues the glowing force into inside of her_. 'He's...'_ "Screaming through space, _burning out everything in my path_." Emma's drops open in shock. She was so afraid and tantalized at the same time. He wore the power, it didn't wear him. And, she would be the same. She marveled at her hands as the power course through her.

_"Scott..."_

"Illyana. Piotr. Warren." Emma's eyes grow even wider as she sees that they are all flowing with cosmic force. Now, she began to understand his plan. Jean was overwhelmed by the whole thing, but.

"Together..." She says, feeling like a brand new woman. The named mutants appear around Scott, Illyana's horned helmet glowing faintly. Piotr's iron skin was too, as well as Warren's wings. Emma watched with wonder as flames danced around them all and left no burns in their wake. With this power and Scott beside her, she felt like she could do anything.

"We will get our friend back."


End file.
